Like Magic
by Kira Evangeline
Summary: Magic. Most people didn't understand it. In fact, most people feared it. But for Evelynne, magic was a part of her...whether she wanted it or not.
1. Falling

**A/N: Thanks for checking this out!** This fic wasn't supposed to happen, but I had this burning desire to write a fic for this game and a one-shot didn't cut it...so here we are. I'm a full-time senior in college, so I don't know how often updates will happen, especially with my other story...but I'll do my best. Chapters will be shorter than I normally write but...well, let me know if you want them longer...or at all, haha! I hope you enjoy it!

 **Edit:** Changed/added text to make it a little more involved. Will be editing these first eight chapters over the next couple days before I proceed!

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Magic.

Evelynne stared down at the palms of her scarred hands, something she did often as of late. She had so many that it was impossible to remember how they all came to be. Some of them were thin and white, nearly invisible against her pale skin. Others were red and wide. Burns, cuts, scrapes...all because of her curse. They littered her entire body. Balling her hands into fists, she closed her eyes and frowned, memories flashing just behind her eyelids.

It coursed through its host, promising power. A carrier of magic couldn't renounce it. It was always there, tingling in their veins, building up and forcing release if ignored for too long. Some, like those who spoke quietly several feet away from her, counted magic as a blessing. Others, however...

At first, she had just been called crazy. Her adoptive parents were the first. They were the reason she was taken to the hospital. They were the reason she stayed there for thirteen years. It was there that crazy turned into possessed . Evelynne scowled, recalling the nurse that claimed she was a demon. No one ever wanted to hear it was an accident. She didn't mean to make the crappy TV in the rec center blow up. She didn't want to hurt her first and last roommate.

Evelynne brought a hand up to brush back her short black hair as she looked up. The sun was steadily sinking, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink. If she turned, she would see the moon beginning to show itself. This was by far her favorite time of day. The heat from the sun was beginning to give way, a gentle breeze blowing through the trees and caressing her skin. She let out a sigh, closing her eyes as goosebumps raised on her arms and a chill flashed through her.

She had been free for six months, and she could still hardly believe it...but she was running. They were always running. The group that had helped her escape was made up of magic-supporters. Magic was rare, these days. Most people under the age of sixty denied its existence. But some still believed. They had been following her story for a few years, and decided to help her.

She hadn't known how to feel about that, but certainly was thankful for their assistance. She had no intention of dying in that awful place.  
Unfortunately, no one knew how to help her here, either. She had little control over her magic, only able to hold it back until it became too strong, or she too unfocused. The people she traveled with knew to be cautious, and had discovered what signs to look for.  
She would become quiet, restless, and the kicker…  
Her eyes would glow.  
It was only a slight shine, her blue-gray eyes burning silver, but it was an undeniable sign. It happened whenever her magic manifested itself. They all knew to give her space, when that happened.  
Lest they be in danger, despite her efforts to avoid them.

Aside from these bimonthly episodes of varied intensity, Evelynne couldn't remember ever feeling so happy. She couldn't get enough of the outside world, having been forbidden from exploring the hospital grounds at a young age. She had been lucky to stand in front of an open window. The travelers she had joined seemed to understand. Their group was too poor to afford any permanent housing. If they weren't in a motel, they were camping, and they never stayed in one place for more than two weeks.

She often took first watch, staying up until midnight to enjoy the night. Sure, the sky was pretty during the day. But at night...it truly seemed endless. The stars stretched on forever, and the moon…. it was so beautiful.

She wondered briefly how long she would travel with the group, or if she would stay forever. With no home and no family…

Evelynne grimaced at the thought. Her real parents were unknown to her. She had been adopted at the age of two. She was treated well, until the incident when her magic first became known. Her adoptive parents had stopped visiting her three years after she had been admitted. But their son...her brother…Her hand flew up to the locket around her neck, thumbing the stars that dotted the tiny silver heart. She should try to find him, eventually.

Evelynne was torn from her thoughts as she heard a rustling sound several feet in front of her. In the rapidly dying light, Evelynne could see the shadow of a small person climbing the trail. Heart leaping up into her throat, Evelynne looked behind her at the tents set up around a dying fire. Everyone had gone to sleep, leaving her to her thoughts as usual. She pushed herself up from the ground, looking back at the trail to find the person gone. Curiosity and anxiety kept Evelynne rooted to the spot for several seconds, silently arguing with herself. Should she wake the others? Tell them of one small person passing by the camp? Or should she follow the person, and see what they were up to? After all, this mountain was supposed to be cursed. None of the locals would ever chance a trip, right?

Evelynne felt her heart racing in her chest as she made her decision, picking her bag up from the ground and tying her hoodie around her waist. She stepped as quietly as possible out of their camp and onto the trail as she slung the bag onto her shoulder. She began the climb, her eyes scanning the darkening trail for any sign of movement. After several minutes, she still had not found anyone. Thinking her mind was just playing tricks on her, she stopped, squinting through the shadows.

There it was! Up ahead, Evelynne could see the small silhouette. They had made it to the top of the mountain. With haste, she completed the climb, slightly out of breath by the time she reached the top. The light was almost gone now, the sky a dark tint of fading orange, purple, and dark blue. Several feet ahead of her was the small person, looking down at the ground.

She didn't know what possessed her to follow this person. In fact, it was as if every fiber of her being was telling her to turn back. Before she could act on it, however, she found herself calling out. "H-hey!" With a start, the person turned, and Evelynne was able to get a glimpse at their face. They seemed to be a child, though Evelynne couldn't tell if they were a boy or girl. They couldn't have been much over the age of ten. "What are you doing?" She asked, moving forward to talk to them. As she moved forward, however, they took a step back. She watched as they tripped, their arms flailing as they fell backwards. Instead of landing as she expected, they disappeared. Evelynne gasped, rushing forward and squinting at the ground. It was so dark now that she nearly stepped right into the giant hole in the ground. Instead, she dropped down to her knees and stared into it, hoping she would be able to see them. "Hey!" She called again, hoping to hear a reply. When none came, she felt her blood run cold. Were they dead? Evelynne pushed up from the ground, nausea churning her stomach this way and that.

Should she go to the town and call the police? What if someone recognized her? She knew the authorities were still looking for her...Should she go back to the group and ask for help?

She didn't know when she had started pacing, but she realized it a moment too late as her foot suddenly tugged against a root, her balance ripped from her as she fell forward. Her left shoulder slammed against the ground painfully and caused her to gasp out in pain, momentarily too distracted to realize she was rolling until it was too late. The earth disappeared from beneath her, leaving her falling. Stunned, Evelynne couldn't even scream as she flew down, air rushing past her and leaving her feeling breathless. Suddenly, flowers and rocks became visible to her, and she realized her fall was coming to an end. Letting out a shriek, she squeezed her eyes shut and held her arms out in front of her in a poor attempt to break her fall.

And then….everything stopped.

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 **Thanks for reading! Let me know if you enjoyed it! Don't forget to leave a review!**

 **P.S. -** I'm moving this over from AO3, now that my issues with posting on this site seem to have stopped. The chapters fluctuate a lot, soo if you're disappointed by the length, don't be! :p


	2. Flowers

**Edited:** Added/changed text. Let me know what you think!

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Evelynne's eyes shot open when she heard a gasp. Inches from her face were golden flowers, standing tall as if waiting to catch her. In her peripherals, she could see the ends of her hair tickling against their golden petals. She breathed out a soft sigh of relief. She knew what was happening. In her sudden panic, she had called her magic to stop her fall. She could feel it buzzing around and inside of her, a strange electric feeling that enveloped her. It was familiar, just like any other time she had accidentally used it. It left her skin tingling and, as much as she hated to admit it, caused her heart to beat fast in joy at the freeing sensation. She'd be grateful, if it weren't for all the trouble it had caused her in the past.

Reaching down with one hand, Evelynne tentatively touched the petals of a single flower…and came crashing down. As she hit the flowers, she was relieved to find no pain, other than the dull ache in her shoulder that drew out an annoyed groan from her. She felt bad for crushing the flowers she landed on, but as she pushed herself up, she stared in wonder as they righted themselves as if nothing happened.

Pushing herself to her feet, Evelynne looked around in the darkness until her eyes fell on the child staring up at her in wonder. Evelynne felt relief wash through her as she kneeled in front of the kid. She could see now that it was a little girl. Her magenta and blue clothes were a little dirty, her hair a little mussed, but otherwise she seemed okay.

"Oh, I'm glad you're alright!" She said, voice a little breathy. The kid simply stared at her curiously, as if she was some anomaly.  
Though, they did just see her floating. Did they see her eyes glowing, as well? Hopefully not. She didn't feel like explaining magic to anyone anymore.  
But even if they had questions, they asked nothing. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable at the silence, the child just staring at her. She leaned back to sit on her legs, biting her lip nervously. "Uhm, I saw you walking up the mountain alone...so I followed you and-oh, that makes me sound like a creeper, doesn't it?" Evelynne brought a hand up to her face and squeezed her eyes shut. She had no experience with little kids.  
Screw it. They were just another person, right?  
With a sigh, she shook her head, removing her hand and smiling. "I'm Evelynne. I'm sorry I scared you. Let's find a way out of here, okay?" She pushed herself off the floor without waiting for a response, looking up toward the hole in the rocks where she had fallen. With a sigh, she crossed her arms across her chest. "I guess we're not getting back up that way, though." She muttered. However, before she had a chance to look around, she felt tugging at the bottom of her hoodie. Looking down, she found one of the child's small hands grabbing at the hem of her shirt while the other pointed behind her. Evelynne took the hint and turned, her eyes falling on what looked like an archway. "Oh. Well, I guess that's our only choice," she muttered, looking down at the girl. They nodded before moving forward, almost as if they were completely comfortable in the cave. Evelynne raised a brow, but followed.

Through the archway was a patch of grass growing directly under another hole in the ceiling, just like in the room they had left. Only now, there was just one lone golden flower. Evelynne scanned the room, spotting another archway across from them and pointing it out to the girl.  
Suddenly, there was a strange sound, and Evelynne felt a shiver run down her spine. It sounded like the low-pitched chuckle from every nightmare she'd ever had.

"Something new…" Evelynne jumped at the voice, the sound high-pitched and cheery. Her jaw dropped as the flower turned toward them...with wide eyes and a smiling mouth. She felt her heart drop in her chest. "Howdy! I'm Flowey! Flowey the Flower!" Evelynne stared blankly at the flower that smiled up at her.  
Had she hit her head? After a moment of silence, it's face scrunched up in thought. "Hmm...you're new to the Underground, aren'tcha?" It seemed to be waiting for her  
A talking flower...was she really insane? She had thought the hallucinations would stop after she stopped taking the medication. Had she been wrong? Was the medication necessary, after taking it for so long? She could remember the first time something talked to her...She had been sitting in her room after taking her newest medication, and suddenly her only doll was laughing and screaming at her.  
Which, eventually, led to the 'spontaneous combustion' of the terrifying thing. And half of the building.  
Evelynne blinked at the flower as it started talking again, unsure of what to do about it.  
"Golly, you must be so confused. Someone ought to teach you how things work around here!" Evelynne turned her gaze to the girl, who seemed to be entirely unfazed by _the_ _talking flower in front of them!_  
"I guess little old me will have to do." The flower's voice was sickeningly sweet as he spoke, his eyes mostly trained on Evelynne. A shiver ran down her spine. Whether this was all in her head or not, it was happening. "Ready? Here we go!"

Evelynne suddenly felt a strange sense of Vertigo, prompting her to squeeze her eyes shut as she brought a hand up to her head. When her eyes opened, they widened at the little silver heart floating close to her chest. In her panic she looked at the girl, a red heart floating in front of her. She looked up at Evelynne and gave her a smile, completely at ease. Evelynne's brows knit together in concern. Was this some sort of weird dream? Shouldn't they be concerned by this?

"See that heart? That is your soul," Evelynne looked down at it, eyes wide. "the very culmination of your being!"

"Whoa…" she whispered, bringing a hand up to touch it. She stopped her hand just a few inches from it, feeling a strange tingling sensation that was similar to her magic. It radiated warmth and familiarity, the air around it seeming to vibrate. Her hand trembled there before she dropped it back to her side, deeming it unsafe to touch her own soul. For now.

"Your soul starts off weak, but can grow strong if you gain a lot of LV." Evelynne looked up with confusion again.

"What's LV?"

"Why, LV is _love_ , of course!"

"Of course…" Evelynne muttered suspiciously. The more this thing talked, the less she liked the situation. For one, shouldn't her soul stay _inside_ her body? What a strange world, she'd imagined. Maybe she was dead. The fall killed her, and the kid, and they were here together in purgatory. Maybe this little yellow flower was in charge of their judgement. Yes. That must be it.

"You want some love , don't you?" Evelynne looked down at the little heart and shrugged. What could go wrong? It was only her entire being in one tiny, exposed, magical shape.  
If this... love made her soul stronger...shouldn't she want it?

"Uh, sure. I guess."

"Good! Don't worry, I'll share some with you!" The flower winked, its tongue peeking out of its tiny mouth.

"Thanks!" She answered cheerfully, though it was entirely sarcastic. She'd rather he just sent her back to the hospital. At least she knew what to expect. "Uhm...how do you do that, exactly?" She asked, looking down at her soul as if it would change in appearance.

"Down here, love is shared through little white…'friendliness pellets!'" Evelynne lifted a brow as several white pellets materialized and began floating around the flower. Funny. They looked like little white seeds….  
They had appeared from thin air...impossible….  
"Are you ready? Move around, catch as many as you can!" Evelynne stood rooted to the spot as the 'pellets' drifted effortlessly toward her, unable to decided whether or not she wanted his charity anymore. Evelynne could feel a buzzing, a strange trill in the air that made her magic react inside of her. She almost reached out toward the slow-moving pellets, before the girl pulled her to the right and just out of the way. Evelynne watched them move past her, and suddenly she understood.

This flower...maybe it wasn't as friendly as it appeared.

Her theory was confirmed when she looked back to find an annoyed look on the flower's face. "Hey buddy, you missed them." Suddenly, the voice wasn't so high-pitched anymore. Nor did it sound very happy. "Let's try again, okay?" More seeds appeared and moved far faster, and this time Evelynne and the girl dodged together. When Evelynne looked back, the flower looked livid. "Is this a joke? Are you braindead?" Her heart started beating hard in her chest as the flower's voice morphed in its anger. "Run. Into. The. Bullets-" For a second, the flower looked stunned. "Uh-Friendliness Pellets!" The smile returned as more seeds flew toward her, and this time Evelynne pulled the girl down as she ducked, the pellets moving too fast for her to avoid otherwise.

The flower was nearly shaking in anger before becoming still, a terrifying grin appearing on its face. Evelynne gasped at such an evil expression.  
On a flower!

"You know what's going on here, don't you?" The flower's voice had changed to a deep, demonic, terrifying sound. Evelynne felt her blood run cold, her lungs suddenly unable to take in enough air as she shook her head frantically. "You just wanted to see me suffer." Seeds started materializing everywhere, and before Evelynne could react, they had been surrounded. She drew the little girl close in a poor attempt to protect her, turning back to the flower with panic in her gaze. "Die." The demonic flower began laughing as the seeds drew closer and closer.  
Evelynne turned with the girl still in her arms. Her breathing was turning ragged and she shook in fear as he laughed at them, the evil sound removing any doubt from her mind that this was dangerous. She threw her arm out in front of them, desperately reaching inward the find her power. If she could use her magic just this once when she wanted to, just to shut that stupid flower up! She narrowed her eyes, feeling the thrum of magic in her blood but unable to manipulate it...

Evelynne yelped as what looked like a ball of white flame rushed past them, a shout sounding from the demonic flower as he disappeared, along with his…'friendliness pellets.'  
The child in her arms pull away from her towards their savior, and Evelynne stared in shock and confusion, eyes wide and mouth agape.

"What a terrible creature, torturing such poor, innocent youths…"

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 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Frisk

Edited!

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"Do you think she's coming back?" Evelynne asked, staring up at the rock ceiling.

Toriel, the goat women who had saved them from the demonic flower, had asked them to wait for her in the ruins while she ran some errands.

...This place was the pure definition of insanity.

Sure, Toriel had explained everything briefly, leading the two humans through the ruins. Monsters, the Barrier, the Ruins...the Underground. It was only a rough sketch of the situation, but it was enough to clue Evelynne in on the fact that she and the kid were stuck, maybe forever, in a place full of beings with a mastery of magic.  
Or, at least, she assumed so. Toriel and Flowey seemed to have a good grasp of it.

Evelynne pushed herself up into a sitting position, looking to her left at the girl. They seemed nice, but they weren't very talkative. Evelynne could understand that behavior. It was one she employed often when she was upset or needed to recharge. Dealing with other people took a lot of energy, and being nonsocial honestly made a difference. Or, at least, she was assuming that's what the kid was doing. They certainly wasn't mute. They had talked to the Dummy that Toriel showed them, their voice quiet and the slightest bit raspy.

Occasionally, Evelynne would see them staring, as if they were trying to figure her out. Nonetheless, they seemed content to let Evelynne make decisions and take the lead. Which may be why, twenty minutes later, they were still sitting in this one room.

"Hey, kid?" The girl looked up at her, eyebrows raised in question. "What's your name?" Silence passed for several moments, and Evelynne thought they were going to ignore her. As it was, they had looked back down at the ground. Evelynne sighed, pushing herself up off the floor. She took out the cellphone Toriel had given her, checking for any messages. "Well, come on. We've been waiting long enough." Evelynne looked back at her, responding to their grin with a smirk. "I'm sure we can handle a few puzzles, right?"

Immediately upon leaving the room, the two entered a hall. To the left was another archway, and to their right, a hall covered in red leaves. Evelynne froze, looking for any indication of which direction was correct.  
There was nothing. No map, no footprints or obvious paths in the leaves, nothing.  
Evelynne began reconsidering her actions. Perhaps she could call Toriel and convince her they would be alright? The woman would give them direction then, wouldn't she?  
Evelynne reached for the old phone in her pocket, but the child moved toward the archway on the left without a sound, catching Evelynne's attention with a silent glance over their shoulder. Okay, nevermind. Raising an eyebrow, Evelynne followed.

The room they entered was small, but ornate in that the stone was carved in flowing designs. Vines climbed along the back wall, happily feeding on the two slow moving passages of water on each side of the room. In front of the vines sat a pretty white pedestal holding a bowl of...candy? The pedestal was surrounded by rose petals, and Evelynne felt a strange sense of calm.

The girl was already at the bowl, taking two pieces of candy. They pocketed one before turning and holding the other up for Evelynne. Looking down at the wrapped piece of candy with curiosity, Evelynne looked back at the bowl for any indication of what exactly it was. After all, monster candy might be something entirely different, right? It was then she noticed the note.

 _Take one._

Evelynne's eyebrows shot up as she read it, looking down at the girl. Sure, it was just a note. But in a world where flowers talk and goats walk around on two legs while using fire magic...you don't disregard the notes.

"Oh, thank you, but...it says to take one. You can keep yours. I don't really care for candy, anyway." Evelynne said, smiling as she took the candy from them and put it back in the bowl. The girl stared at her as she walked back toward the door, one eyebrow cocked.

"Frisk." Evelynne froze in her movements, the quiet voice catching her by surprise. Frisk? She turned back, looking at them with curiosity. They looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and trust, smiling at her as they made eye contact.

"Frisk? Is that...is that your name?" She asked, smiling when the girl nodded. "Oh…" She turned back around but stayed still for a moment, registering the new information. "Well, thank you, Frisk. Let's get going!"

Had she done something to prove she could be trusted? Frisk had seemed so cautious of her before, not talking to her and always keeping their eyes on her. Had such a simple action really proven that she was trustworthy?  
To a child? Probably.

The puzzles were not as difficult or dangerous as Toriel had made them out to be. Somehow, Frisk seemed to know the solution to them all. Whenever Evelynne didn't know where to look, or which switch to pull, Frisk would point it out to her or solve it immediately. Occasionally, Toriel would call and ask strange questions, even predicting Frisk's answers occasionally. It was...strange. The more time Evelynne spent around Frisk, the more she felt like something weird was going on. Frisk always seemed to know what to do, almost like some strange intuition...especially with the monsters.

They had only met a few. Monsters called Froggits were abundant, and Whimsums appeared often as well. There was some sort of monster that reminded Evelynne of the green jello molds the hospital would offer….Moldsmal? Yeah...that one was weird. Regardless, they were all different. Evelynne learned that the…'friendliness pellets'... were actually monster-specific attacks. The froggits would summon flies to do their bidding, and the moldsmals would send mold spores at them. Occasionally an actual physical attack would be made, but it seemed they preferred to use their magic, instead. At least with the Froggits.  
Whimsum...would cry and run away before Evelynne could even get a word out.  
But Frisk always knew what to say or do. In seconds, the monsters would trust both of the humans and leave them be, sometimes even giving them gold as a token of friendship!

 _Gold!_

Maybe Frisk had been here before. How else would she know so much? But, then….why would no one remember her? Too many pieces of the puzzle were not fitting together.  
And Evelynne did _not_ like it.

Eventually, they had made it to a fork in the path. Green vines traced through the cracks in the floor along the horizontal path, red leaves scattered along the vertical path. Frisk moved to walk ahead of Evelynne, looking back at her expectantly when she didn't immediately follow. Now or never, right?

"How do you know where you're going?" The question obviously took the girl by surprise. Frisk turned fully back toward Evelynne, staring straight at her. Silence sat thickly between them for several seconds, but Evelynne was willing to wait. She had to know. Sure, Frisk had not given Evelynne a reason to feel in danger. In fact, if it weren't for her, Evelynne didn't think she would have made it this far. A person could only dodge so much before making a mistake. But if there was something more going on here, Evelynne wanted to know.  
She didn't like secrets. Secrets had always been bad, for her.  
Still, it didn't seem like Frisk was going to answer. They simply stared at eachother, and Frisk looked as if she was waiting for Evelynne to take back the question. Still, she pressed. "You seem so comfortable here," Evelynne began, looking around at the crumbling walls surrounding them. "You know how to deal with the monsters. You went right up to Toriel. You weren't the least bit worried about Flowey, or your soul...What's going on? If you've been here before, why doesn't anyone remember you? Why am I the only thing you give a weird look to, here?" Frisk stared blankly at her for a moment before their gaze turned thoughtful. But still, no answer came.

Instead, Frisk gestured for Evelynne to follow before turning and continuing on the path. After a moment, she disappeared around a corner, and Evelynne sighed. Nothing. No answers, apologies, or hints. She could accept this wasn't a dream. She could accept that humans had forced monsters underground. But this nagged at her. It was almost...unnatural.

Shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans, she slowly followed the path that Frisk had taken. If she was here, she should stick with the kid. Afterall, Frisk knew how to get them out of tight situations, but...could she let a kid run around this place on her own? What if something happened.  
After a few more feet she walked through an archway, finding herself on a balcony. Evelynne's eyes widened at the sight before her.

It looked like they were in some abandoned city. Of course, it made sense that it was called the ruins. Tall buildings crumbled and groaned, the occasional sound of rocks smashing into the earth meeting their ears. Beyond that, in the distance, silhouettes of more buildings stood tall. She could even see the twinkling of lights from them, like stars in the velvety black sky.

Frisk stood next to her, looking out at the scene as well. Why had Frisk wanted to show her this? Shrugging off the questions rising in her mind, she put her arms on top of the stone railing and leaned forward. The two stood in silence for a few minutes before Evelynne sighed. "Those lights remind me of the stars…I wonder if we'll ever see them again." Evelynne didn't realize how much this thought would impact her. She felt some sort of strange pang in her chest, and suddenly felt a heavy sadness. She had just fallen in love with the moon. Would she never see it again?

Frisk patted Evelynne's arm, a happy smile on her face. It was contagious, and Evelynne felt her own small smile forming on her lips as she pulled back from the railing. "Come on, let's go find Toriel."


	4. Home

**A/N:** Last Chapter in the ruins! A little longer, this one. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know!

Edited

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Evelynne woke slowly, her eyes fluttering open to darkness. She felt content in this moment, lying on a warm, comfortable bed with a large quilt draped over her. Her face was numb from the natural cold temperature of the room, and it felt nice as she huddled down closer to the warm quilt in an attempt to deny consciousness. When she realized that sleep would not be returning any time soon, she turned her upper body, bringing her arms up to stretch above her head. Her back arched and popped, sending a wave of pleasure through her that made her hum in appreciation.

Evelynne laid still for a while, staring up in the darkness and letting her thoughts and memories organize themselves. She and Frisk had made it to Toriel's home, greeted with surprise and a little light-hearted scolding for Evelynne. They had been shown around the home, asked not to descend the stairs, and then left in separate rooms for rest. Toriel had sacrificed her own room for Evelynne's comfort, which Evelynne tried to refuse. The goat woman was insistent, however, and Evelynne was thankful for it. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept so well.

Pulling back the quilt, Evelynne swung her legs off the bed, sitting up hesitantly as the cold air soaked into the fabric of her jeans and assaulted the open flesh of her stomach and shoulder. She pulled at her halter top after a violent shiver, narrowing her eyes in the darkness. Light poured in under the door from the hallway, allowing her to see the outlines of furniture. Walking to the end of the bed, Evelynne remembered a lamp standing tall on the desk, reaching out cautiously and pawing at the air until she brushed her fingertips against the shade. She quickly pulled the chain and winced as the light assaulted her eyes.

She allowed herself a moment to adjust before turning to her left and grabbing her hoodie, which had been lovingly draped over the back of the desk chair. The hoodie was thin and a size too small, coming down just low enough to cover her stomach. It had been the only extra hoodie her friends had available, and she had accepted it gratefully.

Now, though...she might as well be wearing nothing at all.

Evelynne turned back around, sighing as the chill stuck to her skin. She reached over to turn off the lamp again, but froze as her eyes landed on an open book. It seemed to be some sort of diary or journal, with beautiful cursive covering its pages. One passage stood out to her, circled carefully in red. Evelynne could feel her curiosity pulling at her, bringing her closer to the page until she was leaning over it, turning her head to read the cursive.

It was a joke.

A skeleton pun.

With furrowed brows, Evelynne read some of the other passages. They were all jokes. Leaning back, she shook her head. If this woman lived alone in the ruins, who was she to question coping methods? Even in the hospital, Evelynne had small opportunities for social activity each day.

She could imagine relying on Whimsums and Moldsmals for company would end up...lacking.

Finally turning off the lamp, Evelynne turned and opened the bedroom door. The lights in the hallway were much brighter than the little lamp, and Evelynne hissed softly in response, throwing one arm up to shade her eyes. To the right and down the hall, the door to the room Frisk had slept in was slightly ajar. She must have already woken up.

The layout of the house was simple, and so Evelynne found her way to company fairly quickly. Frisk was in the living room, seated at the dining table with a plate of sweet-smelling pie in front of her. She was happily digging in, her dangling feet swinging absentmindedly. Upon Evelynne's entrance, she turned and waved before turning back to the treat. Clattering came from in the kitchen, and Evelynne chased the sound, finding Toriel placing a piece of pie on another plate. Toriel turned at the sounded of Evelynne's footsteps, smiling warmly at her.

"Hello, my child. How was your rest?" Evelynne smiled at the woman, hesitantly taking the plate she was offered. Toriel spoke in a soft motherly voice, matching her protectiveness and hospitality. She was tall, with two perfect white horns on her furry head, her eyes a warm brown. Her front teeth peeked between her lips like fangs, which made her just the slightest bit intimidating, but...Evelynne felt safe, here.

"I slept very well, thank you," she said, following the woman out to the table. Evelynne sat down in the chair between Toriel and Frisk, looking down at her plate awkwardly. Evelynne took a small forkful of the pie and hesitantly tasted it, her eyes widening as the smooth texture met her tongue.

It certainly was butterscotch and cinnamon, as she had suspected from Toriel's questioning. While butterscotch was Frisk's favorite of the two, Evelynne had never enjoyed the butterscotch flavored pudding that the hospital had provided. However, this….this was something different. It tasted better...fresher. The cinnamon was present in the background, enhancing and sweetening the butterscotch flavor. Evelynne quickly picked up a bigger piece and shoved it in her mouth, letting out a short moan of appreciation. She couldn't remember the last time she ate something so good and so sweet. Giggling to her left alerted Evelynne of her behavior, and her eyes shifted to Frisk before shooting over to a smiling Toriel, cheeks heating to a blush as she swallowed the bite quickly.

"Uhm...it's very good!" She mumbled, moving her gaze back down to her plate. Light chuckling met her ears, washing away just a bit of her embarrassment.

"I am glad you like it!"

It didn't take long for Evelynne and Frisk to eat their slices of pie, and Evelynne grabbed both plates, insisting that she wash the dishes for her host. It was a quick chore, and a small token of appreciation for the warm bed and sweet treat, but Evelynne felt just the slightest bit better once it was done. She dried the plates and stacked them neatly on the counter before returning to the livingroom, where Toriel sat by the fire with book in hand, glasses perched on her nose. Frisk sat quietly on the ground in front of her, listening as Toriel spoke.

"I'm so glad to have you both here. There are so many old books I want to share!" Evelynne leaned against the wall, listening quietly as she crossed her arms over her chest. The woman sounded so lonely that it made her chest ache.

She had said no one had fallen down in a while, hadn't she? How long has she been alone?

evelynne glanced around the room, taking in the bare walls. Did this woman have any family at all? Where were all the other monsters?

Why was she living in these old ruins, when there were lights in the distance? Did she not know?

"I want to show you my favorite bug-hunting spot. I also prepared a curriculum for your education." Evelynne pushed herself away from the wall and moved into view, sitting next to Frisk with her legs crossed and leaning back, stretching her back out and planting her hands behind her. For a moment, with just this simple action, Evelynne was reminded of when she used to sit in front of the television with her brother... "Oh, I have a question for you!" Evelynne turned her gaze to the excited woman, tilting her head slightly in response. "How old are you?" The question took her by surprise, but she responded nonetheless.

"I'm twenty-three."

"Excellent! So then you must have completed your education?" Evelynne stared at the woman, fighting to scowl that threatened to overtake her features. Sure, she had received an education in the hospital. She had been taught how to write and read, and had been taught basic mathematics. Through books she had learned basic history and physical science, but only enough to understand why things were the way they were. Her tutor, provided by the hospital, had not been the most patient teacher, or the nicest. By age thirteen, Evelynne wanted him gone.

Let's just say that he decided to discontinue the lessons.

"Uhm, sure. For the most part." She shrugged, trying not to look as self-conscious about her education as she actually was.

"Wonderful! Perhaps you can act as a tutor!" If Evelynne looked displeased, Toriel didn't seem to notice. "This may come as a surprise to you, but I have always wanted to be a teacher!" Frisk and Evelynne exchanged a glance before looking back at Toriel, who seemed to consider her words. "Actually, perhaps that isn't very surprising. Still," Her face brightened once more. "I am glad to have you both living here!" Evelynne let that information sink in. Where else would they be able to live, anyway? Was there really no way out of the mountain? She wasn't sure she wanted to live somewhere she couldn't see the stars. Not anymore. Escaping that hospital was the best thing to ever happen to her.

She couldn't be imprisoned again.

"Oh, did you want something?" Evelynne looked back up to find Frisk tugging on the bottom of Toriel's purple dress. "What is it?" There was a beat of silence, and Evelynne wondered if Frisk would break her silence. Afterall, Frisk only seemed to speak when it was absolutely required of her.

Why was that?

"When can I go home?" Evelynne's eyes widened as her gaze shot back to the woman, who looked equally as surprised. Frisk waited patiently as Toriel simply blinked at her, trying to process the question.

"What? This...this _is_ your home now." Toriel seemed flustered, looking down at her book. "Um, would you like to hear about this book I am reading?" Another beat of silence, and Frisk didn't seem to want to answer. Evelynne could have sworn she saw something painful pass through the child's gaze.

"Sure, Toriel." Evelynne chose to respond, catching the tiny thankful gaze of the woman. Toriel reminded Evelynne of all those nice, lonely old ladies that would visit their children or grand children in the hospital. A few of them were so nice and so happy to be around other children in the recreational area that they would give away cookies and candy, despite hospital regulations.

One old lady spent an entire fifteen minutes reading a book to a large group of children. Evelynne wished her own grandmother would have cared enough to visit.

The next day, Evelynne had turned eighteen, and was moved to the adult rec area. No more sweet old ladies telling stories.

"Okay! It is called "72 Uses for Snails." Evelynne raised an eyebrow.

Maybe she should have said no.

"Here is an exciting snail fact! Did you know that snails sometimes flip their digestive systems as they mature? How interesting!"

"Yeah…" Evelynne tacked on a small laugh, trying to seem sincere. "Snails are great..." What did that even mean?

"How do we leave the ruins?" Frisk pressed, looking up at Toriel pleadingly. Evelynne bit her lip, feeling the tension in the room increase. Toriel simply stared forward at the book before gently closing it. She stayed still for a moment before speaking, her voice quiet and calm.

"I have to do something. Stay here." While her tone was gentle, her demand was firm as she stood and left the room, the book forgotten on the chair. Silence fell over Frisk and Evelynne for only a moment.

"She looked sad…" Evelynne commented. "Will she be okay?" Looking up, her gaze found Frisk's. The child simply moved toward the archway, looking back at Evelynne expectantly. Knowing better than to question her, Evelynne pushed herself up off the floor and followed.

All the way down the stairs.

The ruins continued here, in one long hallway. Evelynne stopped at the last step, looking around with furrowed brows. Where were they going? Frisk grabbed Evelynne's sleeve, tugging until she began moving forward again in pursuit of the slow walking figure. Eventually, Toriel stopped in her tracks as they caught up. Evelynne could see how tense her shoulders were as she sighed.

"You wish to know how to return 'home,' do you not? Ahead of us lies the end of the ruins. A one-way exit to the rest of the underground." Evelynne once again raised an eyebrow at the woman's words. 'One-way?' Why?

"I am going to destroy it. No one will ever be able to leave again." Evelynne's jaw dropped, their interactions suddenly taking a darker turn than she had expected. Why would she do that? If there was hope to get out of the mountain..."Now be good children and go upstairs." She continued walking, and this time Evelynne moved ahead of Frisk.

"Whoa, wait a minute! So, there is a way to get out?"

"Every human that falls down here meets the same fate," Toriel responded, continuing to walk. "I have seen it again and again. They come. They leave." Toriel stopped for a moment, sighing. "They die." Evelynne felt her heart slam against her ribcage in response.

So the monsters _were_ dangerous. The legend of the mountain _wasn't_ just made up.

Toriel turned toward them, her eyes blazing with resolve. "You naive children…" she mumbled softly, her voice betraying a bitterness to the situation. "If you leave the ruins...They...Asgore, will kill you." She turned back around. "I am only protecting you, do you understand?"

As Toriel moved away from them, Evelynne stayed in place. If people had fallen and all died before them, what made her think she could make it back out?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She was weak from years of inactivity, and couldn't even control her magic.

She could live here without stars. She could do it. She lived for thirteen years without seeing stars. This woman wanted company and made delicious pies. Why was she trying to leave?

Evelynne turned, about to give in, when Frisk grabbed her hand and stopped her. Looking down, Evelynne found Frisk pointing forward, looking determined.

"Didn't you hear her? We'll be killed! I'm not strong enough to fight anybody off, and no offence, but I doubt you are." Frisk frowned, pulling on her hand again. "Why don't we just stay here? She wants us here. She wants the company. She seems so lonely…" There it was. There was that slightly pained look again.

Frisk didn't want to leave either, Evelynne realized. Not when Toriel was so lonely. But...

It was gone a second later, and Frisk was pulling her forward with a surprisingly strong hold, taking her around the corner until they were once again right behind Toriel.

"Do not try to stop me. This is your final warning!" Toriel was beginning to sound desperate, but Frisk continued to drag Evelynne forward. And soon…

There stood the door.


	5. sans

**A/N:** Blew through this one, so please let me know if you see any mistakes! I'll fix them asap! Also, we're gonna deviate from in-game dialouge a lot. It's (hopefully) not going to be the game on 'paper,' when I can avoid it while still maintianing the story line. Anyway, hope you enjoy it! Critique is encouraged! :D

 **Edit:** Not that much, actually...I liked this chapter. But I've discovered that, occasionally, I seem to have spacing issues when I'm posting on here. So if there are awkward paragraph spacings...I apologize. I'm trying to catch them as I go through.

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Evelynne couldn't breathe.

The air was too cold. It burned her throat and lungs and chilled her teeth painfully, eliciting a pathetic whimper from her.

This was not what she had expected.

Evelynne shivered violently, pulling her thin hoodie closer to her in an attempt at making it more effective.

It didn't work.

"Okay...I understand. I really do." She began shakily, her voice betraying her sensitivity to the temperature. "You want to go home. I get that we should try. But the ruins were warm!" Her gaze slid down to the girl beside her, waiting for a response. Instead, she was left observing the shuddering child. Frisk had her arms wrapped tightly around her, teeth chattering lightly. She was better prepared for this weather than Evellyne, with her thick sweater. Still, a frown tugged at Evelynne's lips before she sighed, unzipping the hoodie. She pulled it off, choking back a sob as she felt just the slightest bit colder. "H-here." Evelynne quickly shoved the hoodie into the child's hands, and Frisk threw her a thankful glance before quickly pulling it on. It seemed to be only slightly too big, and Evelynne felt just a little bit better from helping Frisk feel even slightly warmer. However, her stomach and shoulders suddenly becoming bare to the cold seemed like the worst form of punishment in exchange for her kindness. With a sigh, Evelynne willed her legs to move forward, thankful that the snow was at least shallow enough to walk through. If she were warmer, she would have taken a moment to appreciate the beauty of the silent snowy woods.

But hypothermia was a very real threat, at the moment.

Evelynne thought back to the feeling of Toriel hugging her close. The goat woman had been so soft and warm. What she wouldn't give to sit in front of the fire, even if she had to listen to seventy more snail facts.

"Do you think...we'll see Toriel again?" Evelynne muttered quietly to the child beside her, aching for the motherly woman they had left behind. Frisk looked up at her, an understanding smile on their face as they nodded through the shivering. Evelynne nodded back before turning her eyes back toward the path ahead of them.

Toriel had tried very hard to convince them to stay. She had engaged them in battle, demanding they prove their strength in order to pass. Of course, Frisk and Evelynne had both refused to fight, and Toriel's attacks were easy to dodge. She very obviously did not wish to harm them in the slightest.

She had asked them not to come back, and Evelynne had felt such a real sense of loss, in that moment.

Despite the strange visions.

Evelynne's brows furrowed as she walked, getting so lost in her thoughts that the cold almost couldn't reach her. At some point during the battle, Evelynne thought she would pass out. Her vision had blurred, and static filled her ears. She had squeezed her eyes shut tightly, but that had proven to do more harm than good. Behind her eyelids was a strange ghost of an image, one that had left Evelynne nearly stunned. She thought it looked like Toriel...turning into ash. It left a phantom feeling of horror deep in her chest, and relief had flooded through her when she opened her eyes to find Frisk wrapping her arms around the woman.

Evelynne was ripped from her thoughts as the silence of the forest was interrupted. By the sound of a twig snapping. Behind them.

Several feet behind them.

She turned back quickly, her eyes scanning the area for whatever caused the sound. She could see no animals or monsters. The forest had returned to complete silence. Evelynne frowned, looking down at Frisk shrugging. Turning, they continued on their path.

Then there was the flower. He had been waiting for them, just passed the door. Perhaps he had done something to her? Or maybe...maybe her magic had been trying to warn her of something. It was strange, but she certainly did not know everything about her magic. Perhaps it was some type of premonition? She certainly hoped not. The last thing she wanted to see was Toriel dissolve into ash. What a strange image.

Evelynne tensed as the sound of crunching snow sounded loudly behind them, turning around quickly to find…

Nothing.

Frisk pulled at Evelynne's hand, but she didn't respond. Had Frisk missed it? There was no way she imagined that.

"Who's there?" Evelynne asked loudly, her voice shaky yet firm. Immediately following, Evelynne questioned her call, anxiety blooming in her chest. What would she do if someone answered? If they were attacked? She had no weapon. Sure, Frisk was good at dodging...and Evelynne wasn't too bad herself, but what if the flower was right? What if dodging and pleading wouldn't be good enough?

Evelynne could barely protect herself...how would she protect Frisk?

Another tug from Frisk had Evelynne removing her glare from the forest, turning around hesitantly to continue their walk. She avoided getting lost in thought now, instead accepting the torturous cold that attacked her skin mercilessly in an attempt to stay alert. Despite the fact that she was running her hands up and down her arms desperately, everything felt numb. Her hair hung heavily on her head, the frozen strands rubbing against her jaw and the back of her neck. She huffed in annoyance at this detail, hoping to find someplace….anyplace...warm.

It wasn't much longer before they found themselves at a narrow bridge. Evelynne stopped and stared in confusion at what looked to be a giant...wooden...fence? Just what were they trying to keep out? The gaps were way too wide to stop anything. Or...were there giants in these woods? No. That bridge would collapse instantly. Evelynne suddenly felt a chill run up her spine as footsteps sounded behind her, and fear shot through her veins like icicles.

A moment later, it stopped.

"Humans." Evelynne don't know what caused the motion. Her right hand flew down from her left arm and grabbed Frisk's shoulder, squeezing lightly as if to reassure the child.

Was she still trembling from the cold?

"Don't you know how to greet a new pal?" What a strange question for a murderer to ask their victim. Well, maybe not a crazed, knife-wielding sociopath. Yes, that must be it. The monsters. Maybe they all were-

"Turn around and shake my hand." Evelynne shivered at the deep baritone that permeated her thoughts. It was so low that it was almost a growl.

Disobeying would be a mistake…

Steeling herself, Evelynne turned around, Frisk following her example. The child grasped her left hand now, and Evelynne assumed it was due to fear.

Evelynne regretted the gasp as soon as it happened, her right hand flying up to cover her mouth as her eyes widened. The creature before her stood almost level with her height, his empty black eye sockets seemingly staring into her. A static grin of teeth and the exposed nasal bone left little question in her mind. He was some sort of skeleton.

Ignoring her reaction, he pushed a hand out in her direction, and Evelynne hesitated for only a moment before swallowing her fear and removing her hand from Frisk's grip, tentatively placing her hand in his….

Evelynne was frozen to the spot. The feeling against her hand was strange, like rubber, and the air rushed out past her skin, making sounds that left Evelynne confused.

It sounded...like...

The skeleton chuckled loudly, letting go of her hand after a moment.

"Ah, the old whoopie cushion in the hand trick. It's always funny." Evelynne stood still in shock, despite the giggles coming from her left. She slowly let her hand fall back to her side as her gaze moved back up to his eyes, where there seemed to be little white pinpricks of light. Trained on her.

What just happened?

"Anyways, you two are humans, right?" The pinpricks of light slid to the left, and Evelynne realized they acted as pupils. "That's hilarious." His voice sounded so different now. It was lighter, relaxed, smoother. It had a slight hollow undertone to it, and Evelynne wondered how that was even possible.

Maybe he wasn't really a skeleton? But no. The hand she had grabbed was definitely as solid as bone.

"I'm Sans. Sans the Skeleton." Evelynne was too confused to utter out her own name, and he hadn't waited for it, either. "I'm actually supposed to be on watch for humans right now. But, uh, y'know...I don't really care about capturing anybody." Evelynne looked down at Frisk, who met her gaze with a shaking smile.

Oh, right. It's still freezing.

Evelynne crossed her arms back over her chest as the skeleton continued. If he wasn't going to capture them, maybe he would lead them to someplace warm?

"Now my brother, Papyrus...He's a human-hunting fanatic!" Evelynne looked back up at the skeleton with wide eyes, waiting for the 'just kidding.' "Hey, actually...I think that's him over there." Evelynne followed his gaze behind them, seeing no one.

But who was she to question anybody.

"What will he d-do, if h-he c-captures us?" Evelynne finally spoke, looking back at him and ignoring the tremors in her voice.

...Sans, huh?

His face never changed, it seemed. Not that she expected it too. Bone couldn't move, right? Evelynne watched his eyes carefully.

"Lock you in the shed, probably." He shrugged, and Evelynne raised a brow at him.

"How can w-we make that n-not happen?" She asked flatly, trying to fight the violent shudders that wracked her body. The skeleton watched her blankly for a moment before speaking.

"I have an idea. Go through this gate thingy. My bro made the bars too wide to stop anything." Evelynne nearly snickered. Yeah, no kidding.

Evelynne and Frisk walked forward quickly, the skeleton close behind them. Not comfortable being tailed by a strange monster, Evelynne looked over her shoulder twice as they walked. Everytime she looked, however, she found him following with his hands in his pockets as if he were out on a stroll.

What a strange guy.

It wasn't long before they reached a cleared area with some sort of wooden stand and a...strangely shaped lamp.

"Brother!" Evelynne stopped her observation of the area and turned back to Sans at the call, heart beating wildly. She was sure to have a heart attack, if this kept up. However, Sans looked completely calm.

"Hey, kid. See if you can't hide behind that conveniently-shaped lamp." Frisk nodded and, without question, went over to the lamp.

Well, it certainly was conveniently shaped.

"And, uh, you can go behind my stand over there." Sans nodded his head in the direction of the outpost, and Evelynne wasted no time as footsteps became audible. She sat on her knees behind the stand, ducking her head out of view. The snow underneath her immediately began melting, soaking into the fabric of her jeans and causing her shivers to become far more violent. The freezing water began to seep down until suddenly she felt it in her boots, the water collecting at her toes.

At least her teeth weren't chattering, at the moment.

Condiments. Why were there so many bottles of condiments? The smell of ketchup was strong, here. Was this a….hotdog stand? Evelynne's face scrunched in response before she was ripped from her thoughts as Sans began speaking.

"'sup, bro?"

"You know what 'sup,' brother!" Evelynne winced at the voice. What was his name? Papyrus? He was so loud. His voice was high-pitched and nasally, and he was obviously upset. "It's been eight days and you still haven't recalibrated. Your. Puzzles!" Evelynne lifted an eyebrow. More puzzles? Is that just what the Underground did? It sounded pretty important to this new guy.

Sans's brother...did that mean he was a skeleton, too?

"You just hang around outside your station!" Evelynne moved to peek above the station, holding back the gasp of surprise.

Oh, he was a skeleton. A very tall one. He towered over Sans, and by extension, Evelynne. His skull was long and narrow, a stark contrast to Sans. Actually, Evelynne felt it was safe to assume that if they had skin, they still wouldn't look like brothers.

Now his jaw moved. With every word, it was like watching a human speak. He had two rows of teeth, as well. What strange brothers.

Papyrus wore red and white clothing with the occasional splash of yellow. His arms, legs, and spine were exposed, but everything else seemed to be covered up by….was that some sort of superhero getup? What even...?

Evelynne looked over at Sans, assessing his outfit for the first time. He wore a blue unzipped hoodie, revealing a black and white shirt underneath. Long black basketball shorts ended just passed his knees, leaving his legs exposed.

Was he wearing….slippers?

Evelynne sat back again, placing her head in her hand. This place was so weird!

"What are you even doing?" Papyrus yelled, his voice cracking from the strain.

"Staring at this lamp." Evelynne moved to look over the station again, giving him an incredulous look. "It's really cool. Do you wanna look?" What was he playing at? Why would he do this? Evelynne didn't even have time to answer before Papyrus was stamping his foot and groaning in frustration.

"No! I don't have time for that! What if a human comes through here? I want to be ready!" Evelynne felt relief wash through her the moment Sans's pupils slid to meet hers. He had known his brother wouldn't take the bait. Of course.

Maybe he really was trustworthy.

"I will be the one! I must be the one! I will capture a human!" Evelynne ducked back under the station, rolling her eyes. This guy was throwing a fit! "Then, I, The Great Papyrus, will get all the things I utterly deserve!" Okay, sure, buddy. "Respect, recognition, I will finally be able to join the Royal Guard! People will ask...to be my...friend?" Evelynne leaned around the side to check on Frisk, placing a numb hand in the snow to steady herself. She found the child holding a hand over their face, her eyes scrunched up from her smile.

Frisk seemed to find this guy amusing, at least.

"I will bathe in a shower of kisses every morning." The wistful tone caused Evelynne to snicker lightly, putting a hand over her mouth to quiet herself. Was he real? Was any of this real?

"Hmm…Maybe this lamp will help you." Evelynne smiled at the response, hearing Papyrus groan again.

"Sans! You are not helping! You lazybones! All you do is sit and boondoggle!" Boondoggle? Evelynne mouthed the word back to herself. She'd have to look that one up, later. "You get lazier and lazier every day!" By the repeated sound of crunching, Evelynne guessed that Papyrus was stomping his foot once again. Did he ever stop yelling?

"Hey, take it easy," Sans responded, his voice still cool and laid-back. Evelynne wondered how he wasn't getting the slightest bit angry. She certainly would have.

Then again, maybe he really was lazy.

"I've gotten a ton of work done today. A skele-ton." Evelynne froze, her mouth ajar.

Did he just…

"Sans!" Evelynne once again snickered, his brother's displeased yelling making the pun even funnier. Her shoulders shook as she silently indulged in a chuckle. That wasn't half bad.

"Come on, you're smiling." Sans pointed out, sounding pleased. Evelynne wondered if that was a joke, too. Didn't skeletons always smile? They didn't really have a choice.

"I am and I hate it!" Papyrus yelled back, but she could hear it in his voice before he sighed. "Why does someone as great as me have to do so much just to get some recognition?"

"Wow. Sounds like you're really working yourself...down to the bone." Evelynne let out a puff of air, shaking her head before leaning back and holding herself tightly.

Papyrus needed to leave...and soon. She would freeze to death if they didn't get out of here.

"Ugh! I will attend to my puzzles. As for your work, put a little more…'backbone' into it!" Oh, they were definitely brothers. Papyrus laughed loudly at his own joke, and Evelynne winced. Even his laugh was loud and sharp. After a moment, the laughter died down and everything became silent. Evelynne wondered for a moment if Sans had forgotten about them, but sighed in relief when he spoke.

"Ok. You can come out, now." Evelynne pushed herself up, her limbs shaking in her effort. Most of her body was numb, her toes and fingers aching along with her face. The cold had seeped deep inside of her, and Evelynne knew she should expect getting sick very soon.

Sans watched them come out from their hiding spots, Frisk in better shape than Evelynne. At least she had been able to help the kid. "You outta get going. He might come back, and if he does, you'll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes." Frisk looked back at Evelynne, watching for her lead, and Evelynne bit her lip, staying still. "What's the hold up? Look, there's nothing to be afraid of." Evelynne didn't like his tone, giving him a wary look.

Was he winking at her? How…

"it's just a dark cavern filled with skeletons and horrible monsters." She glared in response, her jaw tightening and allowing her teeth to chatter loudly.

"We n-need to g-get someplace warm. This c-cold is too much!" She said, her voice coming out rough. He looked over and observed Frisk, who seemed okay in the hoodie Evelynne had donated. It hung off her body and bunched up in some areas, but Frisk made good use of it. Sans looked back at Evelynne.

"I can help you. But in exchange, would you do me a favor?" Evelynne gave him a suspicious stare before sighing. He had just helped them, hadn't he? She owed it to him.

"What is it?"

"I was thinking...my brother's been kind of down lately. He's never seen a human before, and seeing you two might just make his day." Evelynne felt her jaw drop for a moment. Why the hell…

"You j-just hid us from him! I'm n-not looking to get killed." She said firmly, despite her body screaming for the help that he promised. He shrugged nonchalantly, hands still in his pockets.

"Don't worry, he's not dangerous. Even if he tries to be. He doesn't have it in him to kill anyone." Evelynne chewed her bottom lip as she weighed the options. Freeze and get lost in this snowy forest, with a skeleton and who-knows-what-else trying to capture them? Or risk trusting Sans? Sure, he had proven to be trustworthy so far, but…

Evelynne looked over at Frisk, who nodded. Well, the kid hadn't been wrong yet.

"O-kay. We'll help you. B-but if he at-tacks us-"

"No worries. You'll solve some puzzles, listen to some of my amazing jokes, and maybe have a bit of fun. Then, I'll take you somewhere warm." Sans held out a hand, and she took it without much hesitation, barely gripping it as she trembled. He shook her hand before pushing his hoodie off. "Well now that we've cracked the _ice_ , you look _chilled_ to the bone." Evelynne glared, fighting the urge to smile as Frisk giggled beside her. He held it out for her to take, and she hesitantly wrapped her hands around the cold material.

"Are you s-sure? It's so c-cold…"

"I'm a skeleton. Not much to chill." He said simply, shrugging once again. Evelynne could see now that the shirt he was wearing was a skeleton shirt, showing ribs and a spine. His shorts had white lines on the legs, as if he was outlining his body with his clothes.

This guy's entire life was made of jokes, wasn't it?

Evelynne quickly slipped the hoodie on, zipping it up as much as possible and flipping the hood up.

"Thanks a million. I'll be up ahead with my bro," he said, turning and walking back toward the bridge. Evelynne watched him go with raised eyebrows. Did he know a shortcut? He must. It would look strange to show up with humans after that display, wouldn't it?

Evelynne sighed, trying to disappear in the hoodie. It was perfect for her, hanging just above mid-thigh. The hoodie was probably only one size too big, and that was fine. The wool was soft inside, and quickly began trapping her body heat. With a content hum, Evelynne looked down at Frisk.

"Okay. Let's d-do this."

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 **Let me know what you think!**


	6. Jokes

**A/N:** I wrote this in four hours, haha! Hopefully it's good. I didn't really want to end it where I did, but I think going forward would have made it really long. So I'll just leave this here...

Edit: Hey all! Info time! On AO3, you have to manually put in italics and bolds. So, if you see em or /em floating around, let me know where! I'll remove it immediately and insert the correct format! Thank you!

Edited: Added some stuff. Paragraph spacing is a mess, but it won't let me fix it. So frustrating.

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The hoodie was very effective. Evelynne had warmed up in no time, no longer feeling like she was turning into an icicle. It was still cold, sure. But most of the violent shivering had stopped, becoming a mostly manageable shaking. Her legs and feet were still numb…

That was a problem.

"Look!" Evelynne looked up, having previously been staring at the ground. Ahead of them on the path stood Sans and Papyrus, facing each other as they talked. She sighed, the air leaving her in a slowly disappearing haze of steam.

"Oh, good. I was beginning to think we'd gotten lost." Evelynne mumbled, pushing forward despite her anxiety. Sans wouldn't let Papyrus harm them, right?

They were about to find out.

Letting the sleeves of the hoodie cover her hands, Evelynne and Frisk moved forward until they could clearly hear the conversation.

"So! As I was saying about Undyne…" Papyrus cut off as they came to a stop, looking down the path at them. Sans looked over at them as Papyrus looked back at him with a blank stare.

And then...quite possibly the most ridiculous thing happened.

They kept exchanging glances, Papyrus looking at the humans when Sans looked at him, and Sans looking at the humans when Papyrus looked at him.

And Evelynne just watched with one brow raised in disbelief.

Were they...okay? These two were without a doubt the most interesting characters Evelynne had ever met or imagined in her life.

And she had met some eccentric people.

Finally, both skeletons turned around, and Papyrus whispered loudly.

Actually, it could barely be called a whisper.

"Sans! Oh my god! Is that...a human?" Sans turned around, Papyrus following his lead. A beat of silence passed as Evelynne and Frisk stood awkwardly across from them.

"Uhhh...Actually, I think that's a rock." Evelynne looked at him with confusion as his pupils slid to the left of them, and she turned her gaze hesitantly before her expression deadpanned.

Yep. There was, indeed, a rock.

She rolled her eyes as she turned back, though if she were honest, a very small part of her did find it funny.

"Oh." Papyrus said, disappointment in his tone. Evelynne couldn't believe it. She looked back to see the crestfallen look on his face, and didn't know whether she should laugh at him or hug him. He looked so sad, amazingly.

Evelynne noticed that Papyrus could move the corners of his jaw...almost like the corners of lips. There were also lines above his eyes that would move like eyebrows. What a strange skeleton. Sans didn't seem able to do that, though there were light lines above his eyes as well, like ridges in his skull. Papyrus and Sans both seemed to have control over eyelids, however, no matter how weird it was.

"Hey, what's that in front of the rock?" Sans asked, and Papyrus looked up, his gaze locking on Evelynne. Instantly, his expression brightened, the corners of his mouth moving upward and his eyes opening fully.

"Oh my god!" He exclaimed, before leaning down toward Sans. "Is...is that a human?"

"Two humans." Sans confirmed, in an equally loud whisper.

"Oh my god!" He exclaimed again, bouncing in his spot. "Sans! I finally did it!" Evelynne and Frisk looked at eachother, smiles stretching across their faces. This guy was so strange. "Undyne will….I'm gonna...I'll be so...Popular! Popular! Popular!" Evelynne brought a hand up, still concealed by the hoodie, to muffle her giggle as the tall skeleton threw his hands up in the air. After a moment, he cleared his throat, looking very serious. "Humans! You shall not pass this area! I, The Great Papyrus, will stop you! I will then capture you! You will be delivered to the capital! Then...then!" His voice became slightly softer. "I'm...not sure what's next." Evelynne snickered, Frisk giggling quietly. "In any case! Continue only if you dare!" He began laughing, but it wasn't an evil sound. It was...gleeful. Like he had just received a new puppy. Sans, Evelynne, and Frisk watched as he left, laughing as he ran down the path. Sans looked back at them, his expression still blank. However, his tone sounded pleased.

"Well, that went well." Evelynne and Frisk approached him.

"The Capital? Should I be concerned?" She asked, crossing her arms. Sans shrugged in response.

"Don't sweat it," he winked, "I'll keep an eyesocket out for ya." With that, he turned and followed after his brother. Evelynne looked down at Frisk, still smiling.

"This...might be fun," she said, optimism finally gripping her. Sans seemed trustworthy, and wasn't worried about the situation at all. Maybe they really would be okay.

Besides, what kind of murderer told jokes and gave hoodies to their victims, right?

Evelynne and Frisk began moving forward, but were cut off by a snowball whizzing past them. Looking to their right, Evelynne found...a bird?

The bird ran out in front of them, it's feathers and face forming what looked like a large snowflake. Evelynne could feel her soul exiting her chest, and she sighed.

Why did all these monsters want to engage them in battle? Why couldn't they approach like Sans and Toriel did?

"Hello." Evelynne began, watching the creature carefully. The last time she had spoken first, her attempt had been met with an attack. However, the bird did nothing. "I'm Evelynne. What's your name?"

"Snowdrake." They said nervously. Still, no attack. Good. This one might be easy to deal with.

"Hi, Snowdrake. Is there something you need?" Instead of answering, snowballs appeared next to Snowdrake, propelling towards Evelynne. She yelped and dove to the left, glaring back at him.

"Did I give you the chills?" Evelynne felt her glare melt away as she stared at him in confusion. Frisk let out a tiny giggle, and Snowdrake seemed happy.

So, this creature liked jokes too, huh? Where was Sans when she needed him?

"Uhm, you like jokes? How about this one…" Evelynne smirked, remembering one her brother told her years ago. He had visited her in the hospital the week before christmas, listening to her wishes about playing in the snow. It was against the rules, at the hospital. To cheer her up, he had her laughing at snow related jokes instead.

Snowdrake watched her expectantly. "What's an ig?" She asked, waiting for Snowdrake to say anything. He didn't. "A snow house without a loo." She grinned as the bird's eyes widened. He laughed for a moment.

"I've got one..." He said, looking nervous. Evelynne smiled calmly. This monster didn't want to hurt them. He just wanted to tell jokes.

She was more than okay with that.

"Hmm...what?" She asked, acting more interested than she actually was.

"Macaroni and Freeze!" It wasn't funny, but she forced a laugh instead, giving him a wide smile.

"Hey, that one was pretty good!" The bird flapped its wings twice, looking excited.

"See! A laugh! Dad was wrong!" He yelled happily, and Evelynne felt her soul return to her.

"Did your dad tell you that your jokes were bad?" Evelynne asked, frowning and moving close to the creature. He sighed and nodded.

"He just doesn't get it!"

"Well, sometimes parents don't get it. Keep practicing. One day, you'll be the next great comedian!" Evelynne said brightly, flashing him a full smile.

Snowdrake looked so thankful. They bid farewell to him and continued in the direction the skeleton's disappeared from.

Their trip continued without much distraction. The forest was very quiet and peaceful. They had passed another station like Sans's, but messier and with a large sign that Papyrus had obviously written.

She had looked at the cardboard stand in confusion. For all his talk, she wondered just how accurate any of it was. The stand was in such poor condition…

Maybe...he just didn't realize?

Instead of pondering what might be wrong with the skeleton, Evelynne decided to keep moving forward. Eventually they came across another small station, the sign outside saying 'Absolutely NO moving!'

Just how were they supposed to get passed it, then?

Evelynne shook her head and walked forward, but stopped as a bark reached her ears. Turning, she saw a dog pop up from the station, looking around with shifty eyes.

"Did something move? Was it my imagination? I can only see moving things." Evelynne raised an eyebrow, but froze, hoping Frisk was doing the same. "If something was moving, like a human….I'll make sure it never moves again!" He jumped out of the station, nearly slamming right into Evelynne, and moved around, eyes still scanning the area.

He was walking on his hind legs.

Well, great. How were they supposed to get passed this? The dog seemed to cover the entire area, moving slowly around Frisk and just missing her by an inch. Evelynne almost shouted out as Frisk reached out and pet the dog, who jumped back in surprise and yelped.

"What! I've been pet! Something that isn't moving pet me! I'm gonna need some dog treats for this!" He barked loudly, running back toward his station and jumping back inside. Evelynne could hear panting, but he did not return.

Looking back at Frisk, she received a shrug in response to her silent question.

Well, he would be okay, right?

Glancing back at the station, Evelynne slowly began to inch away, her eyes falling on the sign above.

Doggo. She'd have to ask Sans what the hell was wrong with that dog. Finally, they were passed the station, and Evelynne released the breath she'd been holding.

"Okay. This place...is gonna give me a heart attack." Evelynne said quietly, shaking her head. Frisk giggled beside her, as if she were having the time of her life.

Sans was waiting for them in the next clearing, and Evelynne took only a moment to study the black jacket he was wearing. It was a windbreaker, unzipped and with a hood hanging on the back. His hands were stuffed in the pockets.

"Hey, Sans!" Sans turned to them as they approached, still grinning at them blankly. Evelynne pursed her lips. Was he just choosing not to change his expression? She couldn't imagine why one of them would be able to emote while the other couldn't. Then again, maybe it was just a skeleton thing.

"Hey," he responded, voice as cool as ever, "I have something I need to tell you. It might help you out." Evelynne nodded as they came to a stop in front of him, gesturing for him to continue. "My brother has a very special attack. If you see something blue coming at you, don't move and it won't hurt you." Evelynne opened her mouth to question him, but didn't quite know what to question. It just seemed too weird. "Too complicated for ya? Think of it this way-"

"No, I got it." Evelynne raised a hand to cut him off. "It's just strange...this whole place is strange...Doggo is strange," Evelynne pointed out, but chose not to go any further.

"I find humans strange," he responded, shrugging at her.

"Fair enough." Evelynne turned, moving away from him. She had only made it three steps before she felt herself slipping, yelping as she crashed onto her backside, her tailbone aching in protest as she groaned, moving her hand back to rest against her lower back as if she could relieve the pain. She heard a snicker behind her, and immediately knew what was coming.

"Need help? You're looking a little _butt-hurt_ , over there." Evelynne turned to glare at him, but instead ended up simply observing him.

Because there was a change.

So, the corners of his mouth did move. His eyelids bowed upward in mirth as he chuckled at his own joke, the lines above his eyes arcing as well.

It was gone a moment later, his default grin in place.

Evelynne sighed, accepting defeat and tried to push herself up, falling back down immediately. Before she could let out the frustrated growl forming in her chest, Sans's bony white hand appeared in front of her face.

"Come on, kid, before you turn into a block of ice." Evelynne looked up at him with immeasurable gratitude as she took his hand, noting the lack of whoopie cushion. He helped her up and back to the snow, where Frisk waited quietly. A blush on her cheeks, Evelynne looked anywhere but at the Skeleton, taking her hand back from him.

"Uhm, thanks." Without waiting for a response, she moved passed him, staying close to the treeline and watching carefully this time for any patches of ice.

They had met a snowman. That talked. Evelynne was reminded of watching Frosty the Snowman with her family when she was a child, and the disappointment that followed after her own snowman didn't come to life.

All she had to do was fall down a hole in Mt. Ebott, evidently.

"Oh! No!" Evelynne held the snowball in hand as the walked away. She had reached back, intending to put it in her bag, but…

"I left my bag in Toriel's bedroom," she said sadly. Sure, there was nothing really important in it, except for an old photo. But it did hold items that she had wanted to keep. Frisk gripped Evelynne's arm, stopping her in her tracks and taking the snowball. She slipped it into her own bag, smiling up at Evelynne. "Just as good. Thanks, Frisk." Evelynne returned the smile, lifting a hand and ruffling the girl's hair. Frisk's face scrunched up in response, causing Evelynne to laugh.

Despite the fact that she didn't know much about Frisk, Evelynne was growing fond of her. She was a sweet kid, well-behaved and optimistic. She seemed to like all the monsters, and Evelynne had almost forgotten the unnerving knowledge she seemed to possess.

Almost.

"Frisk?" Wide hazel eyes met hers, inviting the question. "How old are you?" They continued to walk in silence for a few minutes, Evelynne wondering if this was another question the child wouldn't answer.

"Eleven," she finally said, not looking back up at Evelynne.

It was progress. At least now Evelynne knew something about her.

* * *

 **Okay. All caught up with AO3 now. I hope you're enjoying it so far.**

 **Don't forget to review. Any suggestions to improve the story will be appreciated! I love feedback!**


	7. Crossword

**A/N:** Okay guys! This is my last week of vacation. I have a senior recital to worry about this semester. I promise no updates.

HOWEVER - this story does not require all that much research and, while I try to look up the newest theory of there about things, I don't feel obligated to get every detail as...in line, as possible. If that makes any sense.  
SO, because I am enjoying this story so much, you may see two or three more chapters from me...maybe more, with the pace I've been going...but, you also may see updates during this semester as well. But if you don't, just now that I WILL RETURN (Ask my skyrim followers. They've seen me disappear each semester for the past two years, haha.) So stay tuned folks!

Also, enjoy this chapter. We'll be in Snowdin, soon!

* * *

"You're so lazy!" Evelynne and Frisk stopped, unwilling to interrupt the conversation.

Did Papyrus do other than yell at his brother? Sans didn't seem to mind, and it was certainly not her business. But… "You were napping all night!" He exclaimed, his arms coming up to rest on his….pelvic bone.

"I think that's called...sleeping." Sans responded slowly, a hint of amusement in his voice. So...Skeletons needed to sleep? Or was it just something they were able to do? Did sleeping mean the same thing to them that it did to humans? Evelynne had so many questions.

She wondered if Sans would be willing to answer any of them? Probably not now. Monsters were fascinating enough, really….but skeleton monsters?

She had a hunch that if human skeletons walked around, there would be a lot of differences from the two before her.

"Excuses, excuses!" Evelynne rolled her eyes then, narrowing her eyes at Papyrus. She cleared her throat loudly, watching as the two turned toward them, Papyrus's expression twisting into surprise for only a moment. "Oh-ho! The humans arrive!" He announced, grinning at them. "In order to stop you, my brother and I have created some puzzles! I think you will find this one…quite shocking!" He looked so pleased with himself. "For you see, this is the Invisible Electricity Maze!" Evelynne looked over at Sans, but he didn't meet her eyes.

How were they supposed to get through this? Was it broken?

"When you touch the walls of this maze, this orb will administer a hearty zap!" Evelynne looked back over to find Papyrus holding an electric-blue orb, having seemingly pulled it out of thin air. "Sound like fun? Because! The amount of fun you will probably have, is actually rather small I think." Evelynne pursed her lips in annoyance. This skeleton…

"Okay. You can go ahead now." He watched them closely, waiting for their first move. Evelynne raised a brow, looking back at Frisk and motioning for her to stay still. Tentatively, Evelynne took a few steps forward until she reached the cleared square area. Her eyes scanned the ground, hoping for some sort of indication as to where the walls were.

There was nothing.

Evelynne took a step to the left, her foot barely crossing the threshold before a buzzing was heard. She pulled back, gasping and squeezing her eyes shut as she expected a shock of electricity, but…

"Sans!" Evelynne opened her eyes to see Papyrus stomping his foot, singe marks on his clothes. "What did you do?" Sans finally looked over at Evelynne.

"I think the humans have to hold the orb."

"Oh, okay." Papyrus's tantrum was suddenly gone, replaced by calm acceptance. He moved around to the side of the clearing, and then walked all the way through the maze. Evelynne soon found him directly in front of her, and she felt so small.

She always knew she was on the shorter side, standing at approximately five feet tall. Toriel had only been slightly taller, if one didn't include her horns. But Papyrus stood at least a foot taller, causing Evelynne to look up at his ever-smiling face.

He looked terrifying, that way.

"Hold this, please!" He grabbed Evelynne's hand with his own, holding it up while he placed the orb in it. She grabbed it just in time before he let go and walked back through the puzzle on the same path. Of course, this left a lovely groove in the snow. Looking back at Frisk, Evelynne gestured for her to join. Sans was, of course, right. If things continued in this manner, they really wouldn't have anything to worry about.

Grabbing Frisk's hand, Evelynne led her through the path with eyes glued to the ground, watching the trail carefully. In under a minute they were through, Evelynne bringing the orb back to the brothers. Papyrus looked stunned for only a moment.

"Incredible! You slippery snails! You solved it so easily...too easily! However! The next puzzle will not be easy! It is designed by my brother, Sans! You will surely be confounded! I know I am!" Papyrus let out a hearty laugh before literally skipping away. Evelynne watched him go, unable to understand where this guy got his energy. Approaching Sans, she held the orb out, which he took and shoved into his jacket pocket.

"Hey, thanks," he started, his tone sincere, "My brother seems like he's having fun." Evelynne smiled in response, looking down at Frisk.

"Neither of us mind. You brother...certainly has a lot of energy, though."

"Yeah, he does. I don't know where he gets it. By the way, did you see that weird outfit he's wearing?" Evelynne nodded, more excited to hear about it than she wanted to be. "We made that a few weeks ago for a costume party. He hasn't worn anything else since….keeps calling it his 'battle body.'" Evelynne could feel emthe/em expression forming on her face. It was the same expression she always made when she saw a puppy or a kitten. Because it was one of the cutest things she'd ever heard. "Heh. Man, isn't my brother cool?" Sans said, and he sounded so sincere.

Sans really loved his brother. Maybe that's why he took all his yelling.

"Yeah. He sounds pretty cool." Evelynne said softly. "Anything you want to tell us about the next puzzle?"

"Nah. You'll be fine. Trust me." Sans said, and for the first time, Evelynne completely trusted him.

What had that flower said? Kill or be killed?

Minutes later, Evelynne was beginning to question her decision to trust Sans. Hadn't they left him at the last puzzle? How did he get there before them?

Frisk was currently taking their gold to the 'Nice Cream' guy, who had looked more than thrilled to have a customer. Evelynne figured she could handle it, and left to cross a second bridge over the where Sans watched with his signature grin.

"I've been thinking about selling treats too." He said casually as she got close. "Want some fried snow? It's just five G." Evelynne snickered.

"Sure, sounds reasonable." There. She could see it again. It was like his grin was getting wider. She wondered if he could grin any less than he had been.

"Oh, did I say five? I meant fifty G." Evelynne rolled her eyes, but smirked.

"That's a stretch but...I might have the funds for that."

"What about five hundred?" His tone was playfully challenging, and Evelynne placed her hands on her hips.

"What? How would I have five hundred gold?" Sans shrugged in response and winked at her.

"Don't have the money? That's alright. I don't have the snow." Evelynne laughed, shaking her head at him.

"You remind me of.." Evelynne cut off, her smile falling from her lips. Why was she about to tell him that? Probably because it was true, but…

"Who?" He sounded genuinely curious, watching her closely as she shuffled and sighed.

"Sorry. You remind me of my brother." Evelynne crossed her arms across her chest loosely, looking over to where Frisk and the nice cream guy were apparently having some sort of conversation. "I...miss him," she added, before turning. She surveyed the area around her, noticing the path to the right holding two more stations that looked a lot like Doggo's, but the path ended there. She decided to look at the stations, feeling safe with Sans in the area. He said nothing as she walked away, and she was grateful. She didn't want to explain it.

The two stations were very close to one another. One said 'His' and the other, 'Hers.' The sign in between was labeled 'Smell Danger Rating.'

"Snow smell, snowman, white rating, can become yellow." Evelynne snickered, continuing. "Puppy, blue...smell of rolling around? Humans, green rating...destroy at all...costs…" Evelynne felt her eyes widen.

Oh, there was the danger they'd been warned about.

Evelynne felt something grab her hand and she screamed, jumping back away from it and nearly falling into one of the stations. Frisk stood with one hand outstretched and a look of shock on her face. Gasping for breath, Evelynne held a hand to her heart and slumped over, closing her eyes.

"Frisk! You scared me!" She said breathlessly, laughing a bit at herself.

"Sorry," Frisk mumbled, though she looked as if she were trying to hold in laughter herself. Evelynne waved a hand at her in response, shaking her head.

"It's fine. Let's just keep going. The sooner we finish these little games with Papyrus, the sooner we get somewhere warm. My joints are starting to ache," Evelynne complained, though her legs still felt numb. Frisk nodded in agreement, and the two of them walked back along the path to find Sans gone.

It didn't take long to find him again.

"Human!" Evelynne sighed softly. She was running out of energy for this. All she wanted was a warm, quiet place to recharge. "I hope you're ready for…" Papyrus's expression fell for a moment before turning annoyed. "Sans! Where's the puzzle?"

"It's right there. On the ground. Trust me, there's no way they can get past this one." Frisk moved forward before Evelynne, dropping to her knees on the ground and picking up the paper and pen. Evelynne followed, looking down at the paper curiously.

It was a word search.

She looked up, giving Sans an amused and disbelieving look. Frisk hummed lightly and did the word search in no time at all, standing up and presenting it to Sans happily.

"Sans! That didn't do anything!"

"Whoops. I knew I should have used today's crossword instead." Papyrus deadpanned before turning to Sans fully.

"What? Crossword? I can't believe you said that!" Evelynne prepared herself to sit through another yelling session, leaning back on her heels and chewing on the inside of her cheek. "In my opinion...Junior Jumble is easily the hardest." Evelynne watched with interest as the line above Sans right eye rose.

"What? Really, dude? That easy-peasy word scramble? That's for baby bones." Evelynne smirked. Baby bones.

That was adorable.

"Un. Believable. Humans! Solve this dispute!" Evelynne felt her jaw drop in surprise. Why ask them? Evelynne looked over at Frisk, who shrugged.

"Uh, I like crosswords, so…" Evelynne shrugged, Frisk nodding beside her in agreement.

"You three are weird! Crosswords are so easy! It's the same solution every time! I just fill all the boxes in with the letter 'Z' because every time I look at a crossword, all I can do is snore." Papyrus chuckled before running off, seemingly unfazed at being outnumbered. Evelynne moved to stand even with Sans.

"Papyrus...finds difficulty in interesting places."

"No kidding?" Evelynne responded, looking up the path where he had disappeared.

"Yesterday he got stumped trying to 'solve' the horoscope," he said, shrugging.

"Did something happen to him?" He looked at her strangely in response, and it was her turn to shrug. "Sometimes, when human babies are dropped on their heads or something...they also find difficulty in..interesting places." Yes, that made it better, sure. Despite this, Sans didn't look offended.

"Maybe. I don't think we really have to worry about that." Sans brought a hand up and knocked against his skull, and Evelynne rolled her eyes.

"Ha ha. Let's hurry this along. Your brother is cute and everything, but I'm starting to get really cold again…" She trailed off, a shiver running through her. Sans nodded toward the path and Evelynne took the hint, making her way along.

There was a note, spaghetti, and a microwave lined up along the path that Papyrus had apparently left as a 'trap.' Evelynne would have ate it, too, if it weren't frozen and the microwave was actually able to be plugged in. As it was, Evelynne pouted at it and led Frisk away, now conscious of the pangs of hunger emand/em the cold.

The next puzzle had been hidden, and Frisk solved it pretty easily. Clearing away a large group of snowballs that had been laid precisely in a square shape, Frisk had revealed a map of the area, with a giant red 'X' appearing in a clearing north of them. They found the switch easily afterward, lowering the large spikes that had blocked their way, just like in the Ruins.

What met them across the bridge, though, was not pleasant.

Two dogs walked up the path, dressed in what reminded Evelynne of reaper costumes. They both stood on their hind legs, almost as tall as Evelynne, wielding large axes.

"What's that smell?" A gruff male voice asked.

"Where's that smell?" A female voice echoed. Evelynne's eyes widened as she thought back to the sign she had read.

These were the dogs…

"If you're a smell…"

"...identify yousmelf!" Evelynne would have rolled her eyes if not for the tugging on her soul as it left her, and she suddenly became tense.

"This is a weird smell...it makes me want to eliminate."

"Eliminate you!"

The dogs tore away their hoods and stood close by one another, holding their axes high. Evelynne looked over at Frisk, unzippering Sans's hoodie and throwing it off of her.

She regretted it immediately.

"Frisk! Roll around!" She whispered, dropping down onto the ground and rolling in the dirt and snow. Frisk followed her lead, though she stayed in Evelynne's hoodie.

She'd worry about that later.

Standing back up with arms and stomach covered in icy water and mud, Evelynne shivered and walked toward the dogs.

"Look, we don't smell weird! Your noses must be wrong! Check again!" The dogs shared a glance before coming over cautiously, sniffing around the humans.

"What? Now you smell like…"

"Are you actually puppies?"

"Whoa!" Evelynne jumped back as the male dog brought his axe down toward her, reaching her hand out to make sure Frisk wasn't in danger. She fell back against the snow, hissing as the cold burned into her skin unexpectedly. Pushing herself up, Evelynne yelped and grabbed Frisk's arm, pulling her away from the female's axe as it came down and nearly chopped off her leg. Scrambling back, Evelynne breathed raggedly as she forced herself onto her feet, pushing Frisk to the side despite her whine of protest.

"Are you a lost puppy?"

"Yes! Yes. We're lost puppies." Evelynne agreed quickly, trying to calm her breathing. She looked behind her for Frisk, to make sure she was out of the way-

Where was she?

Panicking, Evelynne looked around for the child, freezing as she heard a yelp from one of the dogs.

"Wow! Pet by another pup!"

"Don't leave me out!" She whipped around, spotting Frisk reaching up with both hands and petting the dogs as they yipped happily and wagged their tails, axes forgotten on the ground. Evelynne's jaw dropped in shock.

"What..?" Frisk looked over at her question, waving her over to join them. It took her a moment, but she moved forward on shaky legs, reaching out cautiously with a numb hand until it connected with the soft, warm fur on the male's head. He moved into her touch, panting as she scratched lightly behind his ear. "Oh…"

This...was working?

"Dogs that pet other dogs. Amazing!" The female cooed, having dropped down to receive more love from Frisk. "A new world has opened up for us!" Both dogs pulled back, looking content.

"Thanks, weird puppies!" The picked up their axes.

"We hope to see you again!" The two walked off, paw in paw as they crossed the bridge. Evelynne stood stock still, watching them until the rounded a corner and were no longer visible.

"I...need a nap." Evelynne muttered, turning and scanning the snow until she found Sans's blue hoodie. She picked it up, frowning at the icy crystals stuck to the fabric. Hopefully, it wouldn't soak through and chill her. She momentarily considered not putting it on, her entire upper body still covered in mud and her shirt soaked through.

Maybe she could clean herself off, and just wear the hoodie? Evelynne frowned at the thought. She didn't want it to get dirty. But would he be okay if she…?

Deciding that it was too cold to wait until they crossed paths again, Evelynne looked over her shoulder at Frisk. The child was waiting patiently where she had been left, watching Evelynne with curiosity. "Just a moment." She said, carefully placing his hoodie back on the ground before pulling the shirt over her head. Standing in her bra made her blush, though she knew no one else was around.

Or, at least, she thought no one else was around. Who knew, around here?

She used her wet shirt to wipe off her arms, chest, stomach, and neck, removing as much of the mud as she could. Her shirt was a mess, but she sighed with satisfaction as she noticed most of the dirt was off her skin. She quickly used the straps of the halter top to tie around two belt loops on her jeans, letting it hang uselessly at her side as she threw on Sans's hoodie. She turned back to Frisk with a smile.

"Okay! Ready to go?" Frisk nodded and reached out her hand, grabbing Evelynne's and holding it tight. Evelynne smiled.

She liked Frisk.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading! Don't forget to review!

Alllllsoooo...Shout-out to **Angel of Randomosity** for leaving a comment!

Also a huge shout-out to the following people for favoriting the work: **pinkmail, kitsunefireball, bloodyhell99, UrieNanashi, Awesomeness-sama,** and **Angel of Randomosity**! I'm so glad you all like it!

Annnnnd finally, along with those above, thanks to those of you have have signed up to follow my updates! **chili22, Pasquiorra, OaeasysCat574, MadGirlWithAMask, LunaWulfe, Doibznic,** and **DarkraiFanGirl**! Your support is cherished!

Yes, I read through all comments/reviews, and love to acknowledge you all for supporting me (and putting up with my spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes. I know they're in there, hiding from me...)

Have a great day, thanks for reading, and I'll SYANU!


	8. Puzzles

**A/N:** Okay, I wrote this one today...between practicing frantically for my first ensemble meeting and lesson next week, and...making a large box out of wood and metal...in a detached garage...while it was snowing...

This...is my life, apparently.

Anyway, it's currently 3 am.

...yup.

Enjoy!

* * *

Jerry.

Evelynne groaned, slapping her hand against her forehead and dragging it down over her tired eyes. What omnipotent being did she piss off…?

"Huh? Did they ditch me? Some friends…" The nerdy voice of the strange monster in front of her caused Evelynne to grind her teeth together, trying her hardest not to hit him.  
Of all the monsters that were surely in the Underground, they had to stumble upon this one.

"Jerry. We really have to go." Evelynne said firmly...again. The other monsters had left for them to deal with him. There had been a dog that Frisk kept petting, their neck growing and growing until...well, he just sort of disappeared.  
Evelynne didn't even want to think about that one.  
There had also been some sort of tiny snowman, with a hat made of ice that he thought very highly of. But he had left pretty soon after Jerry began eating powdery food and licking his hands clean.  
Evelynne supposed their leaving meant they trusted the humans to not kill the little weirdo. Even if they were annoyed by him.  
So...yay?  
No. Not yay.

"So, like, what are you even doing?" Evelynne looked down at Frisk, hoping she had a solution, but Frisk shrugged.

"We're, uh, solving some puzzles, trying not to get captured and killed. You know, boring human stuff. Hey," Evelynne grinned at Jerry, "I have an idea. Why don't you come with us, yeah?" Jerry looked at her with his blank expression, his eyes opening and closing as he yawned. She wanted to send him in the wrong direction, but he shrugged his….tentacle...arms.

"Nah, can you give me a ride home, instead?" Evelynne gaped at him before shaking her head and glaring. Time for Plan B.

"Hey, Jerry. What's that behind you?" Jerry turned around in the direction she pointed. Evelynne grabbed Frisk by the hand and ran down the path, the child nearly dragged behind her. "Sorry Frisk!" Evelynne called as she ran, not letting go until they were far enough away from Jerry. Still, she ran forward, only looking back to make sure Frisk was still following.  
When she felt they were a safe distance away, she slowed to a stop, gasping at the icy air while her lungs burned and her body shook. It was too much effort to put out when she was this cold. As if agreeing with her thoughts, her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, this time not even feeling the snow underneath her. Frisk approached her with concern on her face, and Evelynne waved at her as she gulped air. "I'm...fine." She huffed out, leaning back and sitting on her legs. "I just...need a minute." Years in a hospital had done nothing for her physical condition. She was thin and weak. The months of traveling had helped her, to an extent, but the day out in the extremely cold weather on top of all the stress? It was starting to take its toll on her.  
A pair of arms wrapped around Evelynne's shoulders, and soon she found Frisk pulling her into a hug. Evelynne froze, startled for a moment, before hugging her back.  
"Uh, I'm okay! I promise. I just needed a breather. Come on," Evelynne pushed back a very worried looking Frisk, smiling at her before carefully standing up. Her breathing was still a little ragged, and her limbs still shook, but she forced herself to stay upright. "Let's go. We've been walking for a while, so there should be another puzzle around here soon, right?"

And there was. At first, it was simple, and Papyrus was there to greet them upon completion. All they had to do was turn the red X's on the ground into green O's, and then flip a switch. Simple enough.  
Papyrus chatted to them happily about how impressed he was with the puzzle solving skills.

And then he asked about his spaghetti.

"Uhh...We had to..leave it there." Evelynne said hesitantly, chewing on her bottom lip. But when she looked up at him, he didn't look upset at all. Actually he look...flattered?

"Wowie...You resisted the flavor of my home-cooked pasta just so you could share it with me?" He asked softly. Evelynne stopped, resisting the urge to laugh as relief flooded through her.  
Sure, that'll work.

"Yeah! What's the point of a delicious meal if you can't share it with its creator, right Frisk?" Evelynne looked over to see Frisk nodding and humming in agreement. Great kid.

"Fret not, humans! I, Master Chef Papyrus, will make you all the pasta you could ever want!" He looked so happy as he turned and continued down the path that, Evelynne couldn't help but smile. So he was full of himself….whatever. He was kind of like a kid, at heart. How old was he? And...  
...Did skeleton monsters have hearts?

The two followed after him, meeting him just outside the new clearing.

"My brother started a sock collection recently." He said, walking beside them as they approached the new puzzle. "How saddening…" Evelynne raised an eyebrow. Did he dislike Sans? It certainly seemed like it. "Sometimes I wonder what he would do without such a cool guy taking care of him." Papyrus chuckled, but Evelynne frowned.

"You know, there are worse things to make collections of. I heard of this one man in Arizona who...wait...where is Sans, anyway?" Evelynne looked around, expecting to see him somewhere in the clearing. But he was nowhere in sight.

"Probably off napping somewhere, knowing him." Papyrus shrugged, and Evelynne couldn't help but give him a firm glare before letting it drop. She was missing a lot of context. She shouldn't judge him.

The next puzzle was just like the previous one. It was a little more complicated, though she could have easily cheated. She decided that, for his sake, she would play along. Papyrus seemed constantly thrilled at their puzzle solving abilities, praising them and telling them the next puzzle was going to be easy for them.  
Evelynne hoped so.

Papyrus had, of course, run off immediately. But someone was waiting for them by the retracted spike wall.

"Hey, good job solving it so quickly. You didn't even need my help. Which is great, 'cuz I love doing absolutely nothing." Evelynne snickered, looking in the direction Papyrus left. Frisk was walking down the path slowly, letting Evelynne talk to Sans without straying too far away.  
She must have been getting tired, too.

"I might be overstepping the line, here, but…" she looked back, "Does you brother...not like you?" He stared blankly at her for a moment, and she began to grow anxious. She probably shouldn't have asked. It was none of her business.

"What makes you think that?" Evelynne bit her bottom lip, looking away from him.

"Every time we see you two together, he's yelling at you or complaining about you. I just wondered if, you know…"

"Nah." Sans cut her off, chuckling at her concern. "He doesn't mean any harm. Actually, without him I wouldn't even have this sentry job. It might seem strange, but sometimes...well, it's nice to have someone call you out on being lazy." He winked at her. "Even though nothing could be further from the truth." Evelynne furrowed her brows, about to ask him to explain, but thought better of it and nodded instead. Evelynne turned back toward the path, about to follow after Frisk when she froze, her heart skipping a beat.

Frisk's soul was out, facing some strange creature with antlers. It looked like a deer, but it's face was...weird.  
What wasn't, here?  
Evelynne ran forward, watching with panic as what looked to be snowflakes materialized around the creature and shot toward Frisk. Her magic surged through her in her panic, threatening to take control.  
"Stop!" Evelynne yelled, jumping forward and pushing Frisk out of the way.  
There was pain, but it was different than what she had expected. Whenever she had hurt herself with her own magic, it was external. It was a different pain than a cut or bruise, but it still was observable. This, however...  
This was an internal pain that spread throughout her body like wildfire. It removed her awareness of the world around her, focusing her in on the feeling flashing through her until it was all she knew.  
It may have lasted a few seconds, or several hours. She didn't know the difference. When her eyes fluttered open, the creature was gone and Frisk was standing over her, shaking her with wide, tearful eyes. Sans stood just behind her.  
Huh. His grin could shrink. Interesting.

Evelynne hissed lightly as a stinging pain blossomed in the center of her chest, forcing her onto her side as she curled in on herself.

"What…?" she gasped out, reaching a hand up and feeling around her chest. Nothing hurt to the touch, and there seemed to be no damage to the jacket she was wearing. Still, the pain was intense. Tears spilled from her eyes against her wishes, feeling like liquid fire against the cold skin of her cheeks. She squeezed her eyelids shut, breathing harshly.  
She may have been panicking. She couldn't tell. Was it her heart?

"Geez, kid. For a minute there, we thought you weren't going to wake up." Sans sounded as if he were trying to sound nonchalant, but was failing. Evelynne felt something being pushed against her lips, and she reopened her eyes to see Frisk holding what looked like the monster candy they had picked up in the ruins. Why the hell would she want candy?  
Evelynne tried to push her away, and Frisk seemed to give her a half-hearted glare. "I'd eat that, if I were you." Had she not been focused on this strange pain, she would have questioned his suggestion. But, as it were…  
Evelynne accepted the candy as Frisk once again pushed it against her lips, and she chewed it slowly, trying to avoid inhaling it with each sharp inhale.

It tasted strange. Sickeningly sweet, actually. Evelynne couldn't remember the last time she had candy. It hadn't been available to her, nor did she care much for it. She considered spitting it out, but thought better of it. Frisk seemed to watch her with an intensity Evelynne didn't quite understand. What was so important about her eating this candy? She forced herself to swallow it, despite her difficulty in doing so.  
She didn't expect the pain to suddenly disappear, all traces gone like nothing had happened. She laid still for a moment, looking up at Frisk in confusion. Quickly pushing herself up into a sitting position, she tentatively felt around her chest, waiting for the sensation to return.  
It didn't.

"What happened? Where'd the pain go?" She looked over at Frisk, who was giving her a gentle smile. She said nothing, as expected, but Sans answered her question instead.

"When you pushed Frisk out of the way, Gyftrot's attack ended up hitting your soul directly." Sans explained, holding a hand out for her to take. She stared at it for a moment, as if unable to process anything. He was patient, not speaking again until she was standing. "The candy healed you."

"Healed me?" Evelynne echoed, looking at him with confusion. "How?" His grin had returned at her question and he brought both hands up in front of him, moving them in a rainbow-esque motion.

"Magic." Evelynne stared at him expectantly, waiting for a more complete explanation, but he offered nothing. Where did she even start? Magic? She realized the monsters had magic, but it didn't seem to act the same as hers did.  
Frisk grabbed Evelynne's hand tightly, and Evelynne looked down at her. There was still some concern on her face, and her cheeks shone slightly where her tears had fallen.

"Magic? In the food?"

"Pretty _sweet_ , huh?" Evelynne looked back up at him, her eyes narrowing. Did he just make a pun at her?

"...Sans." Now did not sing like the time for puns.

"Guess you could call it a real _lifesaver_." Yes. Yes he did. What was he thinking?

"Oh my god, not now." Despite the annoyance in her tone, she couldn't stop the corners of her lips from twitching upward.  
Was that his coping mechanism?

"No need to be so _sour_." A tense smile formed on her lips, if only to appease him. If she was truly honest with herself, she would admit that the puns were welcome, particularly after seeing Frisk shake with silent laughter. But...

"I'm leaving." She announced to him, ignoring his chuckling as she led Frisk past him.

"Guess you're giving me the _cold_ - _shoulder_." Evelynne groaned, a small smile on her lips as she shook her head. He was certainly the last thing Evelynne had expected to meet upon leaving the ruins, but she couldn't find it in her to complain.  
"One more puzzle." She stopped, looking over her shoulder, but he was gone. Scanning the trees around them, she found no traces of him. It was like he just disappeared into thin air.  
Shaking off her suspicions, for now, Evelynne continued forward. One more, huh?  
Sans certainly was interesting, that was for sure. He seemed so laid-back, an attitude Evelynne could definitely appreciate. Most of his jokes were pretty funny, too. It reminded her of all the good visits from her brother, and the terrible-but-hilarious jokes he would bring with him, almost as if he had spent the six months between visits on developing material. Evelynne unconsciously brought her free hand up to grab at the locket, still hanging safely around her neck. She wondered if her brother would like Sans. Maybe they would spend the day trading puns...and she would sit back and listen to every single one.  
Evelynne looked down at Frisk as they walked, observing her content smile.

"I like him," she decided, a soft smile on her lips. "What about you?" Frisk looked up, giving her a wide grin.

"Mhm!" Frisk gripped her hand tightly, and Evelynne felt her smile turn to one of content. It had been a long time since she felt wanted or cared for like this. The look on Frisk's face when she opened her eyes…

Her smile fell into a contemplative frown. That pain had been so...strange. It was like nothing she'd ever experienced, before. She could deal with that. She could accept it. But...  
Not only did monsters have magic, but their food was magical as well? The instant she had swallowed the candy, all her pain had disappeared.  
How was that even possible? Toriel had healed them directly...but if food had such strong healing properties…  
There was so much to learn about magic.  
Evelynne looked up along the path, finding nothing suspicious up ahead. The forest was quiet again.  
She'd have to be a lot more careful. More importantly, she couldn't let Frisk run off on her own, anymore. Not when she was in danger of feeling that.

The walk to the next puzzle was tense, for Evelynne. Every sound made her jump, and she constantly found herself looking over her shoulder. It felt like it took years to get there.  
She didn't think she'd ever feel so relieved to hear Papyrus's voice.  
He stopped talking immediately when they came into view, bouncing up and down again in excitement.

"Hey! Humans! You're going to love this puzzle!" Evelynne couldn't help but doubt it. Entirely. "It was made by the great Dr. Alpys!"

"Who's that?" Evelynne whispered to Frisk, who shrugged in response.

"You see these tiles?" Evelynne observed the floor in front of them, made up of tiny gray squares. "Once I throw this switch, they will begin to change color!"

"Neat." Evelynne said, sounding less than thrilled.

"Yes, quite 'neat!' But it gets better! Each color...has a different function! Are you prepared to hear the explanation, humans?" Evelynne took a deep breath. The last puzzle. She could feign cheerfulness for it.

"Sure." Or, not.

"Excellent! Listen carefully! Red tiles are impassable! You cannot walk on them!"

"Red is bad, got it." Evelynne responded, nodding in understanding.

"Yellow tiles are electric! They will electrocute you!"

"Okay, red and yellow, bad." Frisk seemed to find Evelynne's flat responses amusing as she snickered.  
This continued for a while, Papyrus rattling off the rules while Evelynne made snarky comments under her breath to make Frisk laugh. Papyrus either didn't notice or didn't care, and Sans…  
Evelynne was too tired to try and understand the strange look he was giving her.  
"Okay, so…" Evelynne took a deep breath. "Red, green, and yellow are bad. Orange and blue are okay-"

"No! Orange and blue are bad!"

"Right, right. Piranhas. Orange and blue is bad. Purple and blue is okay?"

"Correct!"

"Okay, okay. Purple is slippery, and….pink...does nothing. Got it."

"Great! Then there's one last thing…" Evelynne suppressed the groan.  
So close to warmth...but so far away.  
"This puzzle is entirely random! When I pull this switch, it will make a puzzle that has never been seen before! Not even I, The Great Papyrus, will know the solution!" He laughed loudly, his gloved hand resting on the switch attached to some strange panel. "Get ready!" Then, he pulled the switch, the tiles coming to life with colors shifting slowly. The shifting got faster and faster, until Evelynne had to squint and look away. Soon, everything stopped, and Evelynne looked up at Papyrus tentatively.  
There were only two colors. Red...and pink.  
Papyrus didn't seem to notice. He laughed gleefully and skipped away, leaving them to make it through the puzzle. As usual, Sans stood in waiting, his blank grin on his face. Evelynne shook her head, crossing the pink path that ran up the center of the tiled floor.

"All that time...for this," Evelynne said, sighing and gesturing at the dual-colored floor. "At least he didn't seem to notice. I feel a little bad, actually."

"Don't worry about it. You know, Papyrus told me you left the Spaghetti so you could share it with him." He chuckled, and she instantly got the message. He knew the truth.

"Are you mad? It was...frozen. I couldn't have eaten it if I wanted to."

"Nah, I'm not mad. But...actually? It wasn't too bad, for my brother. Since he started cooking lessons, he's been improving a lot. I bet if he keeps it up, next year he'll even make something edible." Evelynne rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Well, I hope it's edible now. He said he would make us more." She meant to chuckle, but the sound that came out was short before it turned into coughing.  
She needed to get inside, now.  
Coughing fit over, she turned and looked back at the tiles. "That was the last puzzle, right? I feel like we've been out here for hours…" She said, sighing.

"Sorta. You're almost there." Evelynne glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If I get sick, I'm coming after you," she mumbled, turning away from him to see Frisk looking at the machine across from them. "Frisk? Ready to go?" She held out her hand as the child turned, smiling happily when they ran over and grabbed hold. "See you, Sans!" She called over her shoulder, leading Frisk down the path.  
She couldn't wait until this day was done. All she wanted to do was curl up under some blankets. How long had they been out, solving puzzles for Papyrus? She steeled herself. Sans said they were almost done. She could keep going.

There was another station that looked a little more like a dog house. It was surrounded by snow structures that looked like tall pillars….along with snow sculptures of dog heads….but no dog attacked them, and so they passed through quickly, not even stopping to talk to the monster standing casually just beyond it all.

A large ice field followed, and Evelynne stared with interest as she noticed that it had been a puzzle. But it was already completed, green circles scattered around it.

"Strange. I doubt Papyrus would have left this already solved for us. I wonder if Sans did it…" Evelynne mumbled, more to herself than Frisk. A snowy path led straight across the ice field, and Evelynne decided she wouldn't question it too much.  
Never look a gift horse in the mouth, right?

Evelynne began coughing more often, catching worried glances from Frisk occasionally when single coughs turned into a fit. More than once she had to tell Frisk not to worry, that she was fine. She wouldn't be surprised if her immune system was non-existent, and she definitely wasn't used to being out in the cold for this long.  
Maybe one day, when she wasn't busy watching over a kid and solving random puzzles, she would be able to come back and enjoy the snow. It had been so long since she had enjoyed winter directly, rather than from behind a window. If she really cared to pay attention to it, she could appreciate the crispness of the air.  
But right now, the crisp air was irritating her lungs.

Sans's hoodie might as well have disappeared, at this point. Violent shudders tore through her again, though still not a constant condition, as it had been before he had given her this kindness. With this in mind, Evelynne looked down at Frisk, who had been clutching her hand like a lifeline almost the entire time after Evelynne had gotten hurt.

"Frisk? Are you cold, again?" Frisk looked up at her, and Evelynne knew the answer. Her cheeks and nose were tinted red, and her eyes drooped slightly. "I can give you this hoodie, too. It really is warm. I bet wearing both hoodies will warm you up again." Evelynne had barely finished the offer before Frisk shook her head violently. Frowning, Evelynne stopped walking. "But Frisk, I'll be fine. Please, take the hoodie."

"No." Her voice was rough, but firm. She looked up with a challenge in her eyes, daring Evelynne to ask again, causing her to sigh.

"Okay, okay." Accepting defeat, Evelynne shuffled forward, Frisk triumphantly smiling beside her.

Soon, they had entered an area with an actual doghouse. It was almost shocking to see something so normal. As they approached, Evelynne looked around it, as if waiting for it to turn into a monster.  
But it didn't. It was just a cute, tiny little dog house. She let out a laugh, wanting to make a comment, but it quickly turned into a strangled cough.  
Okay, no more joking around, today.

Turning back toward the path, Evelynne carefully let out a sigh. Frisk stayed even with her as they walked forward, carefully stepping around the snow poffs.  
Apparently not carefully enough.  
Evelynne stopped as a short, high-pitched 'yip!' sounded from in front of her. The white, fluffy head of a tiny puppy popped out of the last snow poff, it's tongue hanging out as it looked up at them.

"Oh….how cute." She said softly, the corners of her lips tilting upwards. "This must be the dog that lives in that house. Hey, little guy." Evelynne held out a hand, welcoming the dog to sniff it, when suddenly the snow poff was lifted up and away, a giant armored body with a large spear coming up out of it.  
It was attached to the dog.  
Evelynne stared up at it in slight awe, hand still outstretched. It 'yip!''ed at her again, and she dropped her arm back to her side.  
"I just...how. How?"  
Frisk tugged at her hand, gaining her attention. In her free hand, she held a stick, waving it excitedly in front of the dog. It seemed to vibrate with the intensity of its excitement as she teased him with it before she turned and tossed it as hard as she could in the opposite direction.  
Evelynne watched as the dog rushed past them to chase after the stick, before Frisk pulled frantically on her hand.  
Oh, right. He would probably come back.  
Evelynne allowed Frisk to pull her along at a quick pace until they could no longer hear the yipping of the dog. Not a moment later did Evelynne pull her hand out of Frisk's, placing both hands on her hips.  
"Okay. Spill. How long have you been carrying that stick around? More importantly, could we have used that on the dog couple with the giant axes, maybe?" Frisk stared up at her in response before a sheepish grin broke out on her face.  
It was too cute. Evelynne dropped the already half-hearted glare, shaking her head.  
"I forgive you," she said simply, accepting defeat. Looking up ahead on the path, which soon turned into a bridge, she grinned as she saw two familiar skeletons standing on the other side.  
"Look! Finally." Evelynne sighed. "This better be it. Or else Sans may have some hell to pay."

* * *

Please please _please_ let me know if you find any mistakes, and I will work to fix them right away.

Also, let me know how you feel about the pace. I'm not sure why, but this is the natural pace for this story of mine, but I can push it if enough people think it's dragging too much.

Annnnd~

Shout-outs tooooo:

 **Draconian Master and Pokemon-Ranger-Aiko** for adding this story to their favorites! Thanks ;D

Also, for following: **Draconian Master and Crystalline13**! I'm glad you want to keep up with the story ^.^

Finally, thank you **Angel of Randomosity** for commenting...and pointing something out to me! (I'll fix it right away! It's the code for italics on AO3, where my italics don't transfer!)

Want a shout out to? Drop a review!

Thanks everyone! You're all amazing. Let me know how I can improve the story!


	9. Terror

**A/N:** Hiya, everyone! Short chapter. I probably should have tacked this onto the last one but...well, it's here now. Don't worry, CH 10 will probably be out tonight or tomorrow morning. But this just doesn't flow into the next scene.

As always, let me know what you think! I edited the past few chapters _just a little_. Nothing of great importance was added, though. No need to go back!

* * *

"Behold! The Gauntlet of Deadly Terror!"

Evelynne shakily looked up from the wooden planks of the bridge, blinking past her blurred vision at the spikes, spears, flames, and canons that had suddenly appeared. Her grip on the rope running along the bridge tightened exponentially until it was almost painful.

Evelynne was, apparently, terrified of heights. For years she had been on the fifth floor of the hospital. Her favorite hobby had always been standing near the large hallway windows and watching the tiny people down below go about their lives. She had ridden in a car as a child and watched the tiny sailboats disappear under the bridge they were driving on. She had crossed small bridges over little rivers all day. So, upon making it halfway across the bridge, Evelynne hadn't thought twice about looking over the side.

But seeing the rocky abyss below that seemingly went on forever had sent a shot of panic straight through to Evelynne's heart. She had frozen in place, suddenly unable to move at all. Frisk, who had not noticed her pause, had continued on until Papyrus and Sans turned toward them. Papyrus was ecstatic, jumping straight into his speech. Evelynne tuned him out, focusing on her breathing. In and out, in and out. She could make it. She had to catch up with Frisk!

She took a step and froze, a wave of dizziness and nausea hitting her like a brick to the face. Before she knew what happened, she was on her knees, hands still gripping the rope tightly. She trembled, holding back a sob as one thought rang clear in her mind.

She was going to die.

She was going to die, Frisk was going to die, and it would all be her fault.

"Are you ready? Because! I am about- uhh, humans?"

Evelynne shuddered as she felt a tingling sensation wrap around her, covering her entire being and pushing into her chest. It was familiar to her, but only vaguely. Was this...someone else's magic? It felt comforting and cool, and she felt it tug on her soul. But her magic didn't react kindly to it. She felt it surge through her, and her panic escalated as it lashed out, pushing it from her and freeing her from its grasp. The cool comfort dissipated almost immediately, and a strange sense of loss caused a soft whine to escape her.

Not a moment later did a pair of tiny hands rest on Evelynne's face, and she opened her eyes - when had she closed them? - to find Frisk.

The girl stared at Evelynne with a reassuring smile before reaching out and prising her left hand off the rope. Evelynne stared with wide eyes for a moment before forcing herself to take a deep breath. She could do it. It was just a bridge. She could do it for Frisk. She couldn't let Frisk go on without her. She slowly and shakily stood, tears finally sliding down her cheeks as she forced herself to move forward. With a lot of patience and reassurance from the child, Evelynne was back on stable ground. She fell to her knees in relief, wrapping her arms around herself as she fought to calm down. The panic had subsided when she stepped off the bridge, leaving her feeling cold and embarrassed.

"Human, what is wrong?" Evelynne forced her eyes open, blinking up at Papyrus. Even kneeling, he was taller than her. But that wasn't what shocked her.

The corners of his mouth were pulled down into a frown, the ridges above his eyes which acted as eyebrows were pushed inward, arching and creating a new expression she had yet to see on the face of a skeleton.

Concern?

Evelynne opened her mouth to respond, but instead started a new coughing fit instead.

"Sans, what is wrong with the human?"

"I think she's sick, bro."

"Oh no!" Evelynne was suddenly tugged forward into a hug, causing her to inhale sharply and cough even more. "How can you enjoy my puzzles and spaghetti if you're sick?" Evelynne groaned in response, trying to pull back from the bone-crushing hug and failing.

It was strange, being hugged by a skeleton. She could feel the outlines of every rib through his shirt. She reached up with her hands and placed them on his shoulders, pushing back with more force.

"Worry not, human! I will nurse you back to health!" Instead of letting go, he dragged her up from the ground, one hand sweeping behind her knees. She was suddenly cradled against his chest, her tears stopping as she looked up at him in shock. "You will be back to normal in no time!" He laughed loudly, causing Evelynne to wince. She looked over his shoulder as he turned, looking pleadingly at Frisk and Sans.

"Hey, don't worry," Sans started, waving a hand at her. "I'll get the kiddo back safe."

"Yes, human! My brother can be very responsible, when he tries to be!" Papyrus confirmed, beginning the walk to...wherever he was taking her. Evelynne sighed, adjusting herself so the bones of his arms didn't dig so sharply into her back before hesitantly resting her head against his chest.

If she was going to be carried, she was going to be comfortable.

Evelynne chewed her bottom lip. Sans was trustworthy. He would get Frisk back to her safely, right? He hadn't broken her trust yet, anyway.

Evelynne felt her eyelids becoming heavy, her exhaustion finally settling in now that she wasn't moving anymore. Papyrus didn't radiate warmth like a human, but he wasn't freezing to the touch, either.

"Papyrus?" Evelynne muttered, looking up at him. He paused in his humming, looking down at her.

"Yes, human?"

"Where are you taking me?"

"To our house, of course! You will rest on our couch, and I will cook you as much spaghetti as you need, until you feel better!" Evelynne couldn't avoid the smile that forced its way onto her lips. He was strange, indeed. All this talk about capturing humans...he had one in his arms, and he was going to nurse her back to health.

Maybe he really was just a sweet kid, inside.

Evelynne turned in toward him, sparing only a moment of thought toward how he could carry her with what seemed like no trouble at all. Her eyes slid closed, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

* * *

So short I'm sorrrryyyyyyyy

Let me know how you liked this little painful spectacle. Also, if you have any suggestions on how to improve the story, let me know!

Shout-outs!

For Favoriting! **OtakuWhovian1224** and **xMockingbirdxxx**!

By request, **followers** won't be typed out. But I will say thank you very much to those of you have joined the update party!

Finally, for reviewing/commenting! **Angel of Randomosity, OtakuWhovian1224, Ejemoreh, Awesomenesss-sama, WandererRaen,** and **longagonever**!

Your support is amazing and means the world to me! I will try to improve my writing to bring you the best possible version I can write, but I am so happy that you all like this story!


	10. Skelehouse

**A/N:** I told ya it'd be out tonight!

Okay, so this is where I get nervous. The initial break-away-from-text. This is the test of my understanding and independence with the characters.

So let me know what you think. Really. Any input is appreciated!

* * *

Evelynne didn't remember coming here. She looked around, scanning the dark forest surrounding her. There was a wide river to her left, and directly in front of her…

Papyrus?

Evelynne took several steps toward him, about to call out, when there was a flash of silver. Everything froze, confusion and suspicion in her eyes until very slowly, Papyrus's head rolled off his shoulders. Both hands flew up to cover Evelynne's mouth as she gasped.

He was a skeleton. This was okay, right?

"Papyrus?" She whispered, watching as the headless body shuddered and disappeared into a cloud of ash.

That couldn't be good.

"I believe in you." Evelynne stepped forward cautiously. He wasn't looking at her as he spoke, but past her. "You can do a little better." She looked over her shoulder, finding no one there. A chill ran up her spine. Something was terribly wrong. "Even if you don't think so...I-"

"Papyrus, what happened? What's going on?" She demanded, voice shaking in fear.

"I promise." Evelynne watched with horror as his skull disintegrated, leaving a pile of ash wrapped in his red scarf. Evelynne ran forward, dropping down to her knees where he had just been. What was happening? What happened to him?

"Papyrus?" She called again, as if he would answer. But nothing happened. She stared down at the ash in horror. He was gone. In a matter of seconds. Did he die? Evelynne leaned back, looking around wildly.

"Sans!" She switched tactics, pushing herself off of the ground and frantically searching the area. "Sans, help!" Still, as she called, no one came. Evelynne turned at the sound of rustling in the woods to her right, scanning carefully in the darkness.

Where was she? She didn't recognize this place...she hadn't been here before. How'd she get here?

"Frisk!" She called, hoping that anyone would hear her.

But nobody came.

She turned and hesitantly picked up the scarf. She'd find Sans. She had to. He could help Papyrus, couldn't he? Frisk was probably with him too, right? Evelynne cast a sad glance down at the ash pile before moving away from it. She moved to stuff the scarf into the pocket of the hoodie, looking down in panic as she realized for the first time that she wasn't wearing it. Instead, she was wearing...her hospital gown?

Evelynne clutched at her chest as panic shot through her, knocking the wind out of her and causing her to gasp loudly. Tears immediately ran down her face as she looked around. Where was everyone?

The sound of a twig snapping sounded behind her, and Evelynne didn't waste any time looking. She took off running in the opposite direction, panting with effort as her leg muscles burned in protest. No matter how fast she ran, the sound in the woods moved with her, following her all the way until she entered what looked like a town. She ran past a couple dark buildings, sobs escaping her as called for help. Looking back, Evelynne tried to find whatever was chasing her, with no luck. She picked up pace, look back in front of her before she yelped, leaning back to stop her momentum and falling onto the snowy ground. In front of her stood a figure, face shrouded by a black hood. The jacket pockets concealed his hands, but Evelynne recognized it, along with the black shorts…

"S-Sans?" She asked, clutching Papyrus's scarf close to her. For a moment, he didn't move, and Evelynne realized something was wrong. She scrambled back in fear before standing, prepared to run again. "Sans, please! Help me!" Finally he moved, lifting his head ever so slightly, the shadow over his face shifting. A flash of cyan in the shape of an iris appeared in his left eye as he grinned at her, causing her to gasp. He reached out with his left arm as the eye flashed yellow, and she felt a strange feeling constricting her, an odd but vaguely familiar energy attempting to envelope her. Evelynne screamed out at the sudden enraged look overtaking his features, magic flaring as she ripped out of his grasp. She turned, about to run back when something else caught her eye. A small child faced away from her, their shoulders shaking.

"Frisk? Frisk!" Evelynne ran toward the child. She dropped to her knees, reaching out for the child facing away from her. When did she change her shirt? "Frisk! I was so worried! Papyrus, he-" Frisk turned, and Evelynne froze.

It wasn't Frisk.

Red, and a flash of silver…

Evelynne's eyes snapped open and she shot upright, yelling out as a hand flew up to her neck. She felt the area carefully, pulling her hand back and observing with relief the lack of blood. A clattering sound came from another room nearby, making her jump and gasp in response, falling into a coughing fit.

Again, relief flooded through her as a familiar tiny person ran around the corner from the other room. Frisk jumped up onto the couch, crawling over Evelynne's legs until she threw her arms around Evelynne's neck in a tight hug. Evelynne returned it without hesitation, wrapping her arms around the child and hugging her tightly.

"Human! You are awake!" Evelynne looked back up to see Papyrus in the doorway. He had a pink apron hanging from him, and had a short chef's hat seated on his head. "Sans said you were cold and sick, so I have prepared some of my delicious spaghetti to help you recover!" Frisk pulled back out of Evelynne's arms and gestured for her to stay on the couch before running back in the kitchen. Evelynne smiled, pushing the nightmare to the back of her mind. Papyrus and Frisk were fine.

But...what a strange dream.

She adjusted herself on the couch, crossing her legs underneath her and pulling the blanket around her shoulders. A phantom chill was deep inside of her, though the house was warm. How long had she been sleeping?

She looked around, taking in her surroundings. So this is where the skeletons lived? It was fairly plain, and small. The carpet was a zig-zag pattern of purple and blue, which matched surprisingly well with the maroon walls. The orange trim was a little strange, but it added it's own charm. It was certainly unique, if anything. Despite the fact that the couch was green, everything sort of just...worked.

Across from Evelynne sat a fairly large television, and curiosity shot through her. Did they get human television? Were there monster shows? Searching around her immediate area, Evelynne tried to find anything that looked like a remote control. Instead, she found a book.

A joke book.

Evelynne raised an eyebrow and gently picked it up, running a hand along the worn binding and the leathery red cover. Is this where Sans got his material? She opened it and flipped through a couple pages, expecting to find some notes or bookmarks.

Instead, she found another book.

Evelynne narrowed her eyes, examining the Quantum Physics text. She closed the joke book, turning it in her hands. It looked like a normal book….but…

Was it magic? She opened the cover again and flipped passed the introductory pages to where the Quantum Physics text was. There were no pages before or after it. Evelynne bit the inside of her cheek as she opened the new text, unable to comprehend what was happening.

She flipped past the first few pages, to find….

Another joke book.

Evelynne huffed, unsure of whether or not she wanted to laugh or throw it. Deciding she didn't want to look inside this book, she shut the larger ones and returned it to the end table just as Papyrus and Frisk reentered the room.

Frisk held a large plate of Spaghetti and Papyrus held two, handing one off to Evelynne before sitting on the opposite end of the couch. Frisk climbed between them, shoving spaghetti in her mouth.

"Thank you, Papyrus."

"You are very welcome, human! Please, enjoy the perfection that is my culinary creation!" Evelynne fought the urge to roll her eyes, spinning the fork that was lodged in the spaghetti and carefully picking up a large helping of noodles. She ate half of it, chewing slowly as the strange taste coated her tongue. It wasn't anything like any spaghetti she had before, that was for sure. The pasta was just a bit undercooked, and the sauce tasted like it had been overheated. Evelynne thought she could taste some strange spices as well, but decided it was at least more tolerable than the meatloaf the hospital used to serve. "What do you think, human? Is it delicious? Is it everything you could have hoped for?" His voice was loud and excited, and Evelynne grimaced at the thought of telling him otherwise. But…

Well, he was taking lessons, right? He'd get better.

"It's, uh, great, Papyrus. Really, really great. What did you put in this? It's like nothing I've ever tasted before." Evelynne had plastered a smile on her face, despite feeling bad for lying.

"Ah, that is a secret! My lips are sealed! However, my brother told me that glitter is poisonous to humans, so I left that out! You should taste it with the glitter!" His voice dropped down low. "It's my secret ingredient." Evelynne nearly dropped her plate, staring forward with a blank expression.

...Glitter.

"Uh, yeah, ha. Too bad, it is poisonous to us. Hey, uhm...The rest of the ingredients though…"

"Don't worry! I asked Sans and he said you'd be fine!" Right. If Sans knew what he was talking about, she would live. If he didn't…

Well, that might be a bad time…

"Speaking of Sans, where is he?" Evelynne asked, eating the rest of the pasta on her fork.

She could feel it, now that she paid attention to it. It was a tingling on her tongue and along her throat as she ate. Her chest would feel just the slightest bit warmer. The food really did have magic.

Was it a product of the maker? Did Papyrus have to put magic in the food with the intent of healing her?

"He left soon after I started cooking. And, of course, forgot to feed his pet rock again! As usual, I had to take responsibility." Evelynne raised an eyebrow but chose not to ask about it. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear about the pet rock...or...why they fed it.

Evelynne was quick to eat half of the plate, her stomach full and happy. She went to move off the couch, the blanket sliding off, when she realized something important.

She was just in the hoodie and her underwear.

She froze, looking down at the dark blue fabric of her panties and the exposed skin of her thigh.

Where…?

Evelynne carefully placed her half empty plate on the end table, sliding the book out of the way before she turned back, staring forward blankly.

Who had taken her pants off?

"Papyrus," she began, not looking over at him. Her face felt so warm, she probably could have melted all of the snow.

"Yes, human?" She let a moment pass as she struggled with the question. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer….

She worked up her courage, taking a breath before looking down at her hands, folded in her barely-exposed lap.

"Where are my pants?" At that question, Papyrus suddenly leapt up from the couch as if it had set on fire. Evelynne looked up with confusion.

"Ah! Worry not, human! Sans took them to be washed! I shall retrieve them for you!" Before Evelynne could ask any other questions, he bolted out of the room, the front door opening and letting in a rush of cold air before slamming shut again. Evelynne looked over at Frisk, who had remained sitting on the couch.

"Do...do you know...Sans….he took my pants off?"

As it turns out, Frisk can have quite the devilish little grin.

Evelynne turned beet red at the nod and giggle. Looking down, she frowned at the sight of her pale white skin.

Well...that was more than embarrassing.

"Did he...try to take his hoodie back?" She asked the final question nagging at her mind, but Frisk simply shrugged in response.

Oh, great. That's what she got for going shirtless.

With a sigh, Evelynne pushed herself up off of the couch, the blanket falling away and exposing her legs to the cold. She shivered as she picked up her plate, bringing it to the kitchen.

The room...was a complete mess. The countertops were covered in tomatoes and what looked to be spices, the stove covered in water and forgotten noodles, and the floor…

Evelynne frowned as her bare feet brushed against an empty box.

"So, what'd you think of the pasta?" Evelynne jumped, nearly dropping the plate in her hands as she turned. Sans was leaning in the archway of the kitchen, his eyes set firmly on hers. For a moment, Evelynne could see her nightmare version of him in front of her, and her heart rate spiked. But it was gone a moment later.

His gaze was almost...analytical, his pupils brighter than she'd seen them before. Face burning, Evelynne put the plate down on the counter and moved both hands to the bottom of his hoodie, pulling it down as far as it would go.

"Uhm, it was...pretty good. Better than I had expected. Thanks, by the way, for uh...discouraging the secret ingredient." Evelynne looked over her shoulder. There was nowhere to go from here, and Sans was blocking her only exit. He only watched her as she shuffled in place awkwardly, her embarrassment clear as day. A few moments of silence passed.

"Penne for your thoughts?" Evelynne froze for a moment, looking at him with befuddled expression on her face before the corners of her mouth tilted upwards.

"Puns are just your thing, huh?" Evelynne asked softly, smiling warmly at him.

"Pastably." Evelynne giggled, and Sans looked please.

"I haven't properly thanked you for your help," Evelynne started, looking down at the floor. "Frisk and I probably wouldn't have made it without you, so...if there's anything you need, I'll gladly help you, if I can."

"Don't worry about it." His response was immediate, his tone laid-back. "Feel free to stay as long as you need." Evelynne looked up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"We couldn't! You've already done so much!"

"Like I said, don't worry about it. Besides, you and the kid need to stock up before you go out again." Evelynne couldn't argue with that. They had almost nothing to begin with. They would need to have food prepared, and better clothes…

"I know, but...I'm not sure we have enough money for all of the things we need. It might be better to just keep moving forward…" Suddenly, the front door slammed open.

"Human! I have brought your clothes!" Evelynne sighed out a breath of relief as she pushed past Sans, who barely moved out of her way. She met Papyrus by the couch, taking her well-folded clothes from his hands.

"Thank you! Where is your bathroom? We should really get going…" Evelynne trailed off as Papyrus's face fell. "I-I mean...we don't want to overstay our welcome…"

"Impossible! You two are our new friends! You may stay as long as you like!"

"Told ya." Evelynne sent a glare over her shoulder at Sans before turning back with a sweet smile.

"Papyrus, we can't stay for too long. We have to go home." The excitement on his face dimmed once again.

"I was hoping you would stay and watch Mettaton's show with us…" Evelynne bit her lip, looking over at Frisk for help. Instead of the support she was expecting, Evelynne found Frisk staring sadly at Papyrus.

Oh, fine.

"Well...I suppose we can stay for one night…" Before Evelynne knew what was happening, she was pulled into a tight hug.

"I am so glad to hear that! We will provide you with the necessary sleeping arrangements! Sans! The humans need pajamas!"

"Got it, bro."

"Wait! I...can just sleep like this. Really, I'd feel so bad for taking more of your clothes!" Evelynne blushed deeply, avoiding the stares of both skeletons.

"Nonsense! It's no trouble at all! Now, prepare yourself for the most fun night ever!"

Fun.

It certainly was interesting.

Two hours of MTT entertainment, the only network available to the monsters, left Evelynne staring dumbly at the screen. She had thought that watching the news in the rec center was bad enough. But this...this was ridiculous.

The robot, Mettaton, was the star in several shows such as Underground News and Cooking With Mettaton. It wasn't...boring. But it was definitely strange. Papyrus was star-struck. He spoke only praises toward the robot, and even expressed his dream to meet him. Her. It?

Whatever.

Sans had fallen asleep pretty quickly on the other side of the couch, head tilted back against the cushion with one arm hanging over the armrest. Evelynne leaned against the other side, her chin-length hair tied up in a tight bun that acted as the world's worst pillow. Despite this, she was pretty comfortable. Sans had given her a large t-shirt to wear, as well as a pair of shorts that covered her thighs to her knees. She had a blanket barely covering her, but she was warm regardless, which was probably because of the child's decision that Evelynne made a better couch than what the brothers provided.

Evelynne had her arms wrapped loosely around Frisk, smiling whenever she looked down at the tiny sleeping form. Frisk was adorable. And she slept like a rock. Evelynne's occasional coughs didn't seem bother her at all.

Evelynne frowned. Once they got back to the surface...if they got back to the surface, what would happen? Why had Frisk been on that mountain in the first place? Where was her family?

Evelynne briefly thought about the group she had left. Were they still there? Were they searching for her?

Did they think she abandoned them?

Evelynne sighed, eyes closing as she snuggled into the couch. It didn't matter. They'd worry about that when the time came. For now, they just had to stay alive. She closed her eyes, feeling the exhaustion creeping up on her. She felt so content, in that moment. Safe.

She was safe, here. When was the last time she felt so good, and cared for?

Promising herself that they would not impose on the skeleton brothers any more than necessary, Evelynne allowed herself to drift off into a wonderfully nightmare-less sleep.

* * *

Okay. There it is. Don't forget to leave a review telling me what you think!

Thanks so much for reading!

Shout-out time! :D (I love shout-out time!)

Foooor favoriting! **Ehanu Rehu, Puppy101, icydragonfly,** and **jellwatson**! Thanks guys, you're awesome!

And for commenting, we haaaave **WandererRaen, UrieNanashi, Angel of Randomosity,** and **longagonever**! Thank so much guys. I love reading your comments!

I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the story!

I'm hoping to get a couple more chapters out, at least. 4 days left until the semester starts! Ugh. We'll see what happens! I'm really enjoying writing this!

Anyways, thank you all, I love you, and SYANU!


	11. Snowdin

**A/N:** Sort of a filler chapter, here. Enjoy!

* * *

"Hello! Haven't seen you around, before. You new to Snowdin?" Evelynne stood stiffly in the doorway of the shop, looking up at the large white rabbit woman in front of her.

She had already met the bear putting presents under a tree and the lizard kid with no arms, so she wasn't surprised by the rabbit monster in front of her. But it still unnerved her. The woman was almost as tall as Papyrus. Despite her height, however, she smiled at Evelynne through fur and whiskers.

It seemed that the majority of residents in the little town were naturally equipped for the cold with thick fur. Rabbits, bears, wolves, and birds made up the majority of the population, other than the snow monsters she'd already seen. Naturally, they didn't have much need for thick, heavy jackets. Not like humans. She couldn't help but envy them.

Evelynne looked around the little shop as she moved forward. It wasn't set up as she had expected. The main floor was a tiny room leading up to the counter. Several items, such as knick-knacks and folded clothes, were displayed on shelves against the wall. However, it seemed that most of the products were visible behind the shopkeep.

"Uhm, yeah. I just got here last night." Evelynne looked over the woman's shoulder at the products.

"I can't remember the last time I saw a fresh face around here. Where'd you come from? The Capital? You don't look like a tourist. Are you here by yourself?" Evelynne furrowed her brows at her questioning. She couldn't just tell her they were from the surface. No one here seemed to recognize them as humans, which appeared to be the best possible situation. But could she even pass as a monster? Well, she definitely wasn't going to tell the truth…

"Well to be honest, we're just traveling through. We won't be here for long." It wasn't a lie, at least. Just not the whole truth. That was better, wasn't it?

...How long _would_ they be here?

Evelynne swallowed her rising anxiety as she continued scanning the products. The only food available seemed to be strange popsicles called Bisicles and cinnamon rolls shaped as rabbits. Evelynne frowned at the choices. Only sweets?

"'We?' So you're not traveling alone." Evelynne grimaced. She had considered keeping Frisk hidden. With Papyrus running around yelling 'humans!' all the time, she had a feeling he would accidently alert the entire Underground of their...race? Species? Both? Regardless, Evelynne had left Frisk in his care. He seemed ecstatic to hang out with 'one of his cool new human friends,' and Sans had assured Evelynne that Papyrus would keep Frisk safe.

"Yeah. I don't care for traveling alone." Evelynne said, shrugging before she turned back toward the shelves. Clothes. They needed warmer clothes. Maybe they could get food elsewhere? She should give Sans his hoodie back…

"Well who are you traveling with?" Evelynne narrowed her eyes at the question. This woman was way too nosy.

"My little sister." She ground out, hoping that the shopkeeper would get the point. Was that a bandana with abs on it? Who would wear that? And what was with the pink leather gloves? Fashion didn't seem to be a big deal, here. Good.

"You should bring her in, sometime. I'm sure she would love a Cinnamon Bunny." Evelynne picked up a small pair of gloves that looked warm, trying to estimate the size of Frisk's hands. After a moment of debate she nodded, moving on toward the small pile of sweatshirts. They were all huge. Evelynne sighed. She had to give his hoodie back. Maybe, if she had enough money, she would come back and buy one...but as it was, she had to stretch their gold. "So how long are you staying?" Evelynne grabbed a small green scarf on her way to the counter, laying both items down.

"I'm not really sure. Probably not long." Evelynne looked back over the woman's shoulder at the sweets on the wall. Maybe Frisk would like a treat or two. "Could I get two Cinnamon Bunny's?"

"Sure thing!" The woman turned to grab them while Evelynne untied the pouch of gold from the belt loop on her jeans. She had counted their gold carefully before settling on the couch the previous night. They had about one hundred gold to spend. Then...she didn't know what they would do, once it was gone. "That'll be seventy G." Ouch. Evelynne sighed, pulling out the coins and dropping them on the counter. At least Frisk will be happy. "Anything else?" Evelynne returned the coin pouch to her belt loop.

"Actually...just out of curiosity...what's their to do around here? Any jobs, or anything?"

"If you're askin' if I'm hiring, I'm not," the rabbit responded firmly, and Evelynne shook her head.

"I'm just trying to see what there is, around here. I don't know the town very well." Not to mention Sans had disappeared early that morning and Papyrus...always ended up talking about himself, somehow. There had to be something to do, around here.

"Well, let's see. Grillby's has food, and the library has information. If you're tired, you can stay at the inn next door. My sister runs that. And if you're bored, you can sit outside and watch those wacky skeletons do their thing." Evelynne's eyes shot up at the mention of skeletons.

"What do you mean?" The woman shrugged at her.

"There's two of 'em...Brothers, I think. They just showed up one day and...asserted themselves." Evelynne hummed in response, thinking about Papyrus possibly demanding the right to live in the town.

"Did they have a reason to do that? Were they not welcome?"

"Folks around here tend to be wary of new residents. Those two didn't really give anyone much of a choice, though. One thing's for sure...The town has gotten a lot more interesting, since they've arrived." Evelynne nodded, looking down at her items on the counter idly before collecting them. She wrapped the scarf around her neck and held the warm Cinnamon Bunny's in the same hand as the gloves.

"Thank you very much for all of your help," Evelynne said, smiling up at the shopkeep as her farewell was reciprocated.

Opening the shop door was like willingly taking part in her own torture. It had become far colder outside, and snow began to fall while she was in the shop. Letting out a sigh, Evelynne reached back with her free hand to flip the hood up as she walked from the shop back to the house.

More residents had emerged, mostly rabbit monsters, and a few more bears. Evelynne tried to stay away from them, keeping her head down and her eyes on the ground as she walked.

"You're looking _ice_ and warm." Evelynne looked up quickly at the familiar voice, smiling warmly at the skeleton. Sans was standing a few feet in front of her, nearby the door to Grillby's. Of course, his hands were shoved into his pockets, and he was looking as laidback as ever.

" _Cool_ pun."

"Don't mean to be _cold_ , but that one was a little _flakey_." His grin grew just the slightest bit, and Evelynne giggled.

Her brother had trained her for this, afterall.

" _Chill_ out. _Snow_ big deal." She grinned at his chuckle.

"Not bad. Just don't get _cold_ feet."

"I'll try to stay _frosty_." Evelynne was smiling wide, for the first time in a while.

"Good, because puns are _snow_ joke." Evelynne laughed out of joy and amusement, then, though it was cut short at the scratching in her throat. Despite Papyrus's magic spaghetti, she still had a stubborn cough that paired with the chill deep in her bones. Evelynne let out a couple small coughs, her smile shrinking. Hopefully she wouldn't get sick. "Still coughing?"

"It'd be worse, if it weren't for you and your brother. I think his spaghetti helped a lot. Thank you." Evelynne gave him a genuine smile.

"How about joining me for some Grillby's? It's warm in there. The owner is on _fire_." Evelynne raised an eyebrow, attempting to look into the window of the establishment. The windows, however, were fogged over. There was no question that it was much warmer inside than out. Evelynne looked down at the two cooling Cinnamon Bunny's, frowning.

"I have to get these back. I didn't buy them for myself, and they're likely to turn into ice cubes, out here," she said, sending him an apologetic look. "Maybe some other time?" He shrugged, not looking offended at all. Then again, she still had some things to learn about reading his body language. She had a feeling she'd get more from him that way than just watching his facial expressions.

"Sure thing. I should get back to work anyway." Sans turned, about to walk past her, but Evelynne stopped him.

"Wait. I...do you know anywhere I can work?" She asked, her hand resting on the pouch at her hip. Sans's pupils flicked down to where her hand rested before moving back up. "I didn't anticipate how much things would cost…I only bought these four things and we only have thirty gold left. I'm...not exactly sure what to do." Evelynne had stopped looking at him, slightly embarrassed to admit they were low on gold. He had said not to worry about anything, but the last thing she wanted was to take advantage of the brothers and their kindness.

"I'll see what I can do." Evelynne sighed with relief.

"Oh, good. Thank you so much!" She moved forward and wrapped her arms around him before she could stop herself. Without giving him time to react, Evelynne jumped back, a blush dusting her cheeks and eyes averted. "Oh...sorry. I'll...see you at the house," she mumbled, laughing nervously and turning and leaving before he could respond. She sunk into the hoodie, mostly out of embarrassment. How could she hug him? She met him yesterday. Hopefully he wasn't mad.

Grillby's wasn't far from the house, and Evelynne could hear childish laughter along with Papyrus's voice in no time. She looked ahead, watching as the two lobbed snowballs at each other. Frisk was giggling nonstop, even as most of her snowballs missed.

"Nyeh heh heh! You need to try harder, tiny human! I, The Great Papyrus, never lose at a snowball fight!" Evelynne smiled, hanging back to watch them. They had both built forts, Papyrus's made surprisingly well. Frisk had only built a tiny wall, but she ducked behind it easily.

That's when Evelynne noticed. With a gasp, she moved forward, catching their attention.

"Where is my hoodie? Why aren't you wearing it?" Frisk was dressed in their sweater and pants, but nothing more to protect her from the harsh cold. "You don't want to get sick, do you?" As if to punctuate her point, Evelynne coughed in response to the sharp breath she had taken. The fit was short, but her lungs had begun burning at the forceful breaths of cold air. She groaned, looking back down at Frisk, who stared down sadly.

"I'm afraid it is my fault, taller human. My offer to compete in the snow was far too great for the tiny human to handle. I am sorry," Papyrus said, coming up and looking as if he had just been scolded as well. Evelynne sighed.

"Aren't you freezing? Come on. Let's go inside and get you warm. You two can come back out and play later." Evelynne smiled down at Frisk's hopeful look.

"And you can join us!" Papyrus announced, running ahead of them without waiting for a response. She shook her head. He had so much energy. Evelynne and Frisk followed Papyrus's path, smiling in appreciation when he held the door open for them. "Worry not, humans! I know exactly what you need to warm up!"

"Is it spaghetti?" Evelynne mumbled, not really expecting him to hear her.

"Exactly!" He bounded off to the kitchen, laughing in joy before clattering could be heard from the room. Evelynne rolled her eyes through her smile before looking down at Frisk. She was definitely shivering. The smile fell from Evelynne's face as she kneeled in front of the girl.

"Hey, why don't you go to the bathroom and hang your sweater to dry? Wear my hoodie in the meantime." Frisk nodded quickly and Evelynne ruffled her hair, grinning at her. "I bought you some Cinnamon Bunny's. I don't know how they taste, but...I assume they're sweet." The smile on Frisk's face brightened in excitement, and Evelynne giggled. "I'll put them in your bag, okay? Now go get changed." Evelynne stood again as Frisk nearly ran up the stairs. Despite the fact that she seemed knowledgeable and mature, Frisk was definitely still a child.

Evelynne moved over to the couch, against which Frisk's bag laid in waiting. She dropped both treats in the bag, careful not to look through anything. What Frisk had in her bag was her business alone. Evelynne removed the scarf from her neck and folded it carefully, placing it and the gloves on top in waiting. Another loud bang sounded from the kitchen, and Evelynne jumped, looking back with curiosity.

"Papyrus? Need some help?" She called, standing as she unzipped Sans's hoodie. She placed it carefully over the back of the couch, careful to keep the snow-pelted half off the couch. Despite the warmth of the house, Evelynne's exposed skin still felt cool as it was revealed, prompting a shiver to run through her. She quickly untied the gold pouch from her jeans and dropped it on the floor next to Frisk's bag. Another bang. Evelynne whirled around, walking into the kitchen quickly. Papyrus stood at the counter with several tomatoes in front of him. A couple were already slightly smashed, and he raised his fist high over his head. "Papyrus! What are you doing?" He foze and turned toward her, a confused expression on his face.

"I am making the sauce. Would you like to help?" Evelynne raised an eyebrow at him, walking over to the counter. There was no bowl or cutting board...just tomatoes, a counter, and Papyrus.

"Uhm...I've never really cooked anything, but...shouldn't you be using knives or bowls or...something?"

"I will scrape the tomatoes into the pot when they have been beaten into a delicious sauce!" Evelynne stood still for a moment, trying to understand.

"So...you just...punch the tomatoes?" She asked, trying very carefully to hide her judgement. Wasn't he taking lessons? Who cooked like this?

"Yes! That is the only way to create delicious homecooked sauce! Undyne says it is the best sauce she's ever had!" Undyne? Who was that? Evelynne was about to ask when Papyrus brought his fist down and punched a tomato with a lot of force. Evelynne jumped at the loud bang as pieces of tomato flew everywhere.

"Wait! Why not try...being nicer to the tomatoes?" Papyrus had looked over at her with curiosity, and Evelynne smiled.

So started an hour of cooking and experimenting. Evelynne knew very little about cooking, but she had a general idea as to what the end result should be. Papyrus told her everything he knew, and she made suggestions along the way. By the end of the hour, they had created a dish that, thankfully, tasted a bit more like the spaghetti she knew.

"Wowie! Human, you are very good at cooking!" Evelynne snickered, plating some spaghetti for the sleeping child in the livingroom.

"No, that was all you, Papyrus. We make a good team!" she said, smiling up at his ecstatic face.

"Human! I have a wonderful idea! We must cook together more often!" Evelynne's smile faltered.

"Yeah...yeah, we should. But...I don't know how long we'll be here, Papyrus." Evelynne trailed off, sighing. She was beginning to wonder if getting back to the surface was really worth it. After all, she liked the people she had met, so far. None of them really seemed to want to harm her. True, most didn't know she was a human, but they were all so kind and unique. Maybe someone here would be willing to help her develop and control her magic? It seemed she was better suited to stay here. But…

Evelynne looked through the archway at Frisk. She must have a good life to return to, seeing as she had no interest of staying. Evelynne wouldn't forgive herself if Frisk got hurt. It was her responsibility to keep the kid safe. Maybe she could help Frisk get out, and come back? Evelynne turned to Papyrus's concerned gaze and smiled reassuringly.

"But, while we're here, all of us can hang out as much as we want! Come on, let's see how good this spaghetti really is."

* * *

Despite the fact that I do think this is a filler, I would totally like to hear from you guys! Let me know if you like it, and please let me know your opinion about Papyrus and Sans. If I'm going of course, I would rather someone tell me.

Shout-outs!

To these lovely people for favoriting: **Elyryn, KuroKyoushu, Pop-FizzXD, SomniumofLight, TheMauGrimm, Winter-Freak, chazonic,** and **love-doctor-whooves**! You guys are wonderful, thank you for favoriting! I'm so glad you enjoy it!

AND a HUGE thanks, as always, for those of you leaving reviews/comments: **Angel of** **Randomosity** (I have your SN memorized, you're awesome) **, WandererRaen, Ehanu Rehu, Winter-Freak,** and **MorganaDeAwesome**! Thank you guys so much! The support is appreciated!

Seriously, though...out of all the stories I've ever posted, this fanbase has some unique SN's, haha! As always, thank you everyone for reading! I love you all! Don't forget to review, and SYANU!


	12. Vision

**A/N:** Okay, so the snowstorm that hit pushed back the start of the semester by a day. SO! You might see one more chapter from me, but if you see any more posts from me during these next couple months...up until June...it'll a miracle. Haha. I really love writing this story, but I always end up getting way too wrapped up in my academics, and with my senior recital this semester...ugh, we'll see. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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It was warmer, here. Not perfect, but comfortable. Evelynne pulled the hood down, smoothing down her hair and looking around. She had decided to scout ahead and get an idea of what they should expect in future travels. So far, she hadn't come across anything dangerous. But she hadn't been walking for that long.

Looking to her left, Evelynne noticed one of the giant ice cubes floating by, most of the steam having already been let off. The water here was significantly warmer, Evelynne assumed. Otherwise, the fog would not have been so thick on the path. Evelynne had barely been able to see a foot in front of her face. Now, though, the ice was melting down quickly as it floated along.

So, this was their path to their next destination? That was fine. Evelynne didn't mind going someplace warmer. It was darker here, though. Snowdin had lights scattered throughout the town. Here, there seemed to be the occasional lamp placed here or there for travelers, placed at random intervals against the blue-tinted rock. It was interesting, the idea of electricity under the mountain. Evelynne had taken a trip that morning to the library, searching through books in hopes of finding some sort of explanation.

Instead, she had found information on monsters in general, and had taken up all her time reading about them. It was fascinating information. She hadn't expected to read that monsters were mostly made of magic. The concept was hard to wrap her mind around. How could magic become a physical form? It would explain a lot about the skeletons and their differences from human skeletons, though. It sounded as if being attuned to their souls were impractical, as well. It was a wonder any monsters still existed! Then again, with their souls apparently made up of hope, compassion, and love, maybe there wasn't anything to worry about. Afterall, how could anything like that have such a deadly intent to kill? But humans...the book had said humans have proven their souls don't need any of those things to exist...Perhaps the monsters were safer, down here.

Evelynne frowned. She had heard several monsters talking about their coming freedom. One more soul, they had said. Evelynne knew they were talking about human souls. Why else would Papyrus have wanted to capture them, and take them to the capital? Evelynne was certain now that she couldn't let Frisk go on her own. She needed to help Frisk get out of the Underground. Even if it meant she might not make it back…

Evelynne rounded a corner, her steps faltering for a moment as people came into view up ahead. Immediately she recognized two of them, and she smiled as she took in Sans's profile. If he was here, she felt safe. She pushed forward, recognizing the monster kid in the striped shirt as he stood staring over the cliff edge. The sound of rushing water became louder but not deafening as Evelynne approached. A small waterfall was peaking just to the left of the monster kid, falling down a large distance until splashing into a large lake below. It would be beautiful, if Evelynne didn't suddenly feel as if she was going to fall over the edge. She moved close to the opposite side of the walkway, bringing a hand up to idly run along the wall for comfort.

Evelynne observed the stranger as she approached. It was some sort of orange fish-type monster, standing next to a beautiful glowing blue flower. Evelynne smiled to the monster as it turned, about to greet it when a strange whisper could be heard.

"All that gives my life validation is explaining the echo flower." Evelynne froze, looking at him with a raised brow, but before she could question him, a voice called from behind her.

"Yo! Are you out to see her, too? She's the coolest, right? I wanna be just like her, when I grow up!" Evelynne turned, looking at the kid with confusion.

"Uhm...who?" Evelynne asked, leaning down slightly toward the little monster. He was cute but...he always talked really fast about god knows what.

"Undyne! She's the greatest, isn't she? I can't wait to see her...please don't tell my parents I'm here, haha." He suddenly laughed nervously, and Evelynne smiled.

"I won't, don't worry." She said, smiling at him before she turned.

Sans was sitting behind a station similar to the one he had outside the ruins. He was leaning down onto the top, head in one of his hands as he watched her lazily out of the corner of his half-lidded eyes. Evelynne observed him as she approached, noting the differences in the shape of his grin, and the arc of the ridges above his eyes. She wondered if he could frown, or if his mouth constantly curved upward. He seemed able to manipulate his grin. Papyrus could only change the corners of his mouth. Shaking her head, Evelynne brushed off the thoughts. If she puzzled it any longer, she'd get a headache.

"Hey there, buddy." Evelynne finally stood in front of the station, giving him a look of curiosity. "What? Haven't you seen a guy with two jobs before?" She rolled her eyes, smiling.

"Of course I have. Just not guys that are accused of being the laziest person I'll ever meet." Sans leaned back, placing both hands in his pockets. As always.

"Fortunately, having two jobs means twice as many legally-required breaks." Evelynne giggled, nearly sighing with happiness as there were no accompanying coughs. Over the past week, she had good days and bad days. She wondered if it was just the prolonged exposure to the cold, but staying inside hadn't helped at all. Maybe it was the Underground itself? More reason to push forward, for now. If only to figure out the answer.

"Oh, there it is. What is this second job of yours? Hotdog salesman?" Sans's grin grew and his pupils flicked to the side.

"Hey, nice guess. What gave it away?"

"That would be all the condiments behind your other station outside of the ruins." Evelynne reminded him, and he chuckled.

"Nice call. Hey, I'm going to Grillby's. Wanna come?" Evelynne raised an eyebrow at him before smiling. She had nearly forgotten about his previous request, having been too occupied with her own thoughts since then. But as Evelynne looked over to the right and found nothing of interest further down the path, she shrugged.

"Okay, sure. Let's go to Grillby's." She was curious as the what went on in that building, anyway. The windows were always fogged over. Papyrus had mentioned to her that Sans mostly ate at Grillby's, so it must be edible, at least. "I've been curious about it. Besides, if I eat one more plate of spaghetti this week, I might vomit," she added, speaking quietly just in case Papyrus and Frisk had decided to tail her. Again.

The other day, she had gone around Snowdin to look for any information outside of the library. She had been talking to a lovely family of rocks when one of the rock children pointed out a tall skeleton and fleshy monster behind her. Evelynne had promptly turned and spotted them trying to hide behind an admittedly large snow poff.

It wasn't large enough to hide Papyrus, though.

"Well, if you insist...I'll pry myself away from my work." Sans pushed himself off of the chair behind his station, moving around lazily and passing her. She watched with confusion as he went the wrong way, looking back at her expectantly.

"Uhm, Sans? Grillby's is...not that way." His grin grew wider and he gestured forward with a nod.

"I know a shortcut." Evelynne stayed still for a moment before following after him. He held out a hand for her and she stared blankly at him. "Your hand looks heavy. Want me to hold it for you?" Evelynne blinked once, twice, snickered, and then laughed loudly.

"Oh, man. That was awful," She said, placing her hand in his as his grin grew. Now that she wasn't terrified, she could feel the smoothness of his bones. She could see the separate phalanges, but they all looked...connected. More like a human hand with skeletal outlines than a skeleton. There were small dips inbetween each bone, but those dips felt smooth, too, as he closed his hand lightly around hers. Evelynne felt her face become warm, and she turned her head in hopes that the shadows would hide her blush. This felt much more intimate than it should. The light was too dim, his gaze too intense. She bit the inside of her cheek, scolding herself. He was just taking her for some food. Why was she anxious?

"Close your eyes." Her gaze shot back to his, screaming confusion.

"Uhm...why?" His grin shifted slightly, and it almost looked...mischievous?

"It's a secret shortcut." He said in a comical whisper, and Evelynne giggled in response before she shrugged.

"Alright, then. But if you lead me off the edge of this place, you'll regret it," she said, letting her eyes slide closed. He chuckled and began moving forward slowly, Evelynne trailing just slightly behind him with her hand still clasped gently in his. A few steps later, a strange tugging sensation enveloped her. Her body was wrapped in a tingling, cooling sensation. Her brows furrowed, almost becoming lost in the sensation before a surge of warm electricity flooded through her, her magic pulsing beneath her skin. Evelynne gasped, pulling back violently from Sans's hold and falling to the ground as the foreign feeling receded, squeezing her eyes shut as pain and fear shot through her. Whatever she landed on was freezing, and Evelynne opened her eyes to find snow beneath her. Despite her panic, her magic did not lash out. It receded, and Evelynne realized that the same thing happened on the bridge. She shivered violently, the cold instantly sinking into her, and she pushed herself up and looked around wildly. A few feet ahead was the house, and Sans stood between her and it, staring at her with a different sort of intensity than earlier. Evelynne pulled the hood back up over her head and wrapped her arms around herself, averting her eyes to look out at the river. The two stood silently, and Evelynne was beginning to feel tears prick at the corner of her eyes.

What had just happened? There was no way Sans had a shortcut to this spot. It was physically impossible for any shortcut to take them that distance, that fast. Was that his magic? Had he been trying to help her on the bridge, a week ago? Why was her magic reacting that way? Evelynne closed her eyes, shaking with anxiety and shame. This curse of hers would destroy her and everything she loved. She wished she could just get rid of it. Maybe it would be better to go back to the surface. Maybe she couldn't protect Frisk. Maybe that fall should've killed her.

Evelynne heard the slow crunching of snow approaching her, and she turned her head to the side. Were her eyes still glowing? She hoped not. Another shiver ran through her and she gasped at the intensity of it. How had she gotten so cold so fast? Maybe she was still sicker than she thought.

"Hey, open your eyes." Instead of the hate or the anger she thought she'd hear, his voice was calm. She sighed, opening them and staring at the ground for a moment before sliding her gaze upward. What she saw, however, was not comforting.

It was like her nightmare had come alive, Sans standing there with his hood up and a red, tattered scarf wrapped around his neck. His eyes were narrowed, left eye glowing cyan and yellow as he glared. He pushed out his left hand and his image changed, blurring and flickering as he reached forward. A red gash appeared across his chest, red dripping from his mouth. Evelynne gasped and stepped back, eyes wide with fear. She took a harsh gasp as he started dissolving, just like Toriel and Papyrus had in her other visions. Her chest convulsed and suddenly she was on her knees, leaning over and coughing violently. The fit lasted longer than it ever had, tears flowing from her eyes and body shaking as she desperately gasped for air. A hand gripped her shoulder as she groaned, her throat aching and her chest burning. She pushed to the side, away from the hand resting on her, and landed in the snow on her back. Breathing in deeply and slowly, she looked up at a normal Sans in front of her, his grin tiny and eyes showing concern. It was like some of his teeth had disappeared, and the corners of his mouth were turned downward. Still, there was an upward curve in the center.

Interesting.

"Oh," Evelynne said after a moment, her breathing still ragged as she observed him. What was all that? It was as if...some strange glitch had happened...like a computer? Evelynne frowned for a moment before smiling. And then giggling. And then laughing. Sans's concerned stare turned into confusion, and Evelynne laughed harder.

She was insane. Literally, completely insane. They had been right all along.

Still laughing, Evelynne pushed herself onto her stomach and pushed herself up, one hand resting on her stomach as it ached. Her chest still burned, but the need to cough her lungs out had passed and she took in a deep breath.

"Are you..okay?" She looked up at Sans, still smiling.

"I'm okay. I just...a lot has been happening," she said, her smile finally falling. He still watched her carefully, as if trying to analyze her. She didn't blame him. She probably seemed as crazy as she felt, after all that.

Should she tell him what she saw? Should she ask about his magic? What if he hadn't used magic at all? Maybe the Underground just rubbed her magic the wrong way.

"No one has ever done that before," he muttered, still staring. Evelynne tilted her head slightly. He sounded almost...awed?

"Done..what?" A moment of silence passed as he seemed to be considering something, and there was a tension in the air that left Evelynne shuffling uncomfortably under his gaze. Yet, after a moment, he shrugged.

"Come on. Let's get inside. We can talk there."

* * *

Okay, there it is. No more guarantees for the next couple months. Sorry, guys. I promise though, I will finish this story out. I already know where I want it to go, and if everyone still likes it when it's over, I do have an idea for a sequel. So let me know!

Time to do that lovely shout-out thing!

For being lovely people and favoriting my work: **BSPunk, Fangirl Moustache,** and **Skyforged**. Thank you so much!

For leaving me lovely reviews to read through: **WandererRaen, Angel of Randomosity, Chili22, longagonever,** and **Ehanu Rehu**. Your support means so much, and the feedback is very helpful and uplifting. Thank you all so so much!

Thanks so much for reading! Don't forget to leave a review! I love you all! SYANU!


	13. Grillby's

**A/N:** "You might not see another chapter from me" *Posts chapter like 12 hours later*

...This is my life. Need to practice? Nah, write a story. Need to fix sleep schedule? Nah, write a story.

...I'm going to bed.

BUT ENJOY! :D

* * *

Everyone in Snowdin seemed to know and love Sans. Upon entering the restaurant, Sans was greeted by every customer. Evelynne recognized a few of them from their journey to Snowdin. The dogs were all there, at least. There were some monsters she'd never seen before. Some were...unnerving, such as the monster with a huge jaw and pointy teeth so large she couldn't see its eyes. There was a shady looking horse monster sitting in the corner as well, and even more shocking was the barman being engulfed in flames. Despite this, Evelynne had followed Sans to the bar, sitting next to him. Other than returning greetings and cracking a joke that had the whole place laughing, Sans had been silent since the incident outside. Evelynne shifted uncomfortably on her barstool, clearing her throat as it began to feel scratchy again. A moment later, the barman came over, not speaking a single word.

"Hey Grillbz." Sans greeted in a low tone, leaning forward to rest his arms on the bar. "I have a _burning_ question to ask you." Evelynne looked up at Grillby, waiting for any response. Nothing. Not a word. The only thing that changed was the little eyes hidden behind his glasses seemed to narrow. "I need something to _light_ en my mood. Got anything that might _spark_ my interest?" Evelynne snickered as a little fizzle came from Grillby. The barkeep leaned over to grab something under the bar, bringing up a large bottle of ketchup before looking over at Evelynne expectantly. She stared blankly at the ketchup for a moment, wondering if that was just a sarcastic response, before turning to the flame man in front of her.

"Oh, uhm...I'm actually...not sure what you sell here." Evelynne blushed, looking down at the bar.

"Grillby makes a good burger. Puts a nice _char_ on it."

"Do you have any fries?" Evelynne asked, looking up and giving him an apologetic look. "I don't think I'm hungry enough for a whole burger…"

"Hey, that sounds pretty good. Grillby, we'll have a double order of fries." Grillby silently turned and went through a door on the side of the bar. Evelynne shifted awkwardly, looking around. There was some chatter, but most of the noise was coming from the yipping and barking of the dogs nearby. They were sitting at the largest table in the room, playing some card game Evelynne didn't understand.

"Does everyone just stay in here all of the time?" Evelynne asked suddenly, breaking the silence between them. Sans looked over at her before following her gaze.

"Grillby's is the only place to hang out, around here. You could say it's a real _hot_ spot, here." Evelynne turned to look back at him, brows furrowed.

"But isn't everyone supposed to be guarding the path to get here? All of those dogs were on the path when we were coming through. Aren't you and Papyrus supposed to be there, too?" Sans chuckled, picking up the bottle of ketchup and looking at it, as if reading the label.

"Nah. A human hasn't fallen down here in a long time. You just happened to get here on a busy day." Evelynne rolled her eyes, placing one elbow on the bar and holding her head up in her hand. Of course, that would be her luck. She let out a long sigh, closing her eyes as she basked in the warmth of the restaurant. Sans had been right. The building was significantly warmer than any place she'd been so far, most likely because of the walking heater that was the owner. The oddities of the monsters barely seemed to affect her, now. She'd come to accept that she'd see more strange beings during their travels. After all...how much worse could it get, after meeting a family of rocks and a couple skeleton brothers.

Feeling a bit over-heated, Evelynne leaned back and unzipped Sans's hoodie, laying it carefully across her lap to keep it clean. She moved her bare arms over her head, stretching out her back and reveling in the feeling of warm air against her skin. She still hadn't picked up any new clothes, but that was fine. The skeleton brothers allowed Frisk and Evelynne to use their shower, and Evelynne would wash their clothes in their sink regularly.

"So, what do you think of my brother?" Evelynne looked over at Sans, surprised at his initiation of conversation. She thought he was mad at her, or at least disturbed by the display outside. Maybe he hadn't noticed he magic after all. No, that's stupid. There's no way he didn't. He had been looking right at her. He at least noticed her eyes. Why wasn't he asking her a hundred questions?

"Papyrus is great. He's high-energy and sweet. I really enjoy spending time with him." Evelynne laughed softly. "I...had some trouble, at first. But...I think he's pretty cool."

"Of course he's cool. You'd be cool too, if you wore that outfit everyday." Evelynne giggled, shaking her head in response. It must mean a lot to him that Papyrus wore the costume they made together. "He'd only take that thing off if he had to."

"It might wear out fast, if he doesn't wear anything else every once in awhile." Sans shrugged at her warning.

"Oh well. At least he washes it. And by that, I mean he wears it in the shower." Evelynne suddenly snorted, laughing loudly.

"Oh man, no way!" She said, turning fully toward him now. His full grin was back and he shook with his own laughter.

"Stick around long enough and you'll be subjected to his singing, too. He puts on a real soap opera." Evelynne laughed harder, her laughter turning breathless until all that could be heard was a soft wheezing, followed by a large gulp of air.

"Oh my god. That's hilarious," she said, grinning widely. "You could give my brother a run for his money." Evelynne said, smiling softly down at the wooden bar. Her index finger drew random patterns in the wood, thinking of him. She had been reluctant to escape the hospital for multiple reasons, one of which being the date. Two weeks after she left, her brother was scheduled to visit her. After six months of nothing but confiscated letters, Evelynne was going to see him again. She sighed at her thoughts, her hand still. She brought her other hand up to run through her short hair, catching on a few knots that made her scowl.

"Here comes the grub," Sans announced, sitting back in his seat as Grillby re-entered the bar. He placed two plates of fries in front of them, setting a glass of some dark liquid in front of Evelynne. She looked up with curiosity, but the barkeep had already walked away.

"What is this?" Evelynne asked Sans, picking up the glass and holding it up as if she could see its ingredients. She swirled it, bringing it back down so she could sniff it. Whatever it was, it didn't have a strong smell.

"Grillby's specialty, I think. One of his own mixes. Try it," Sans said, watching her carefully.

"I've...never had alcohol, before," Evelynne admitted, looking over at him with concern in her gaze. She had no idea how it would affect her, or if she would even be able to handle it. Worse yet, Evelynne had heard once that people could be allergic to alcohol. "I'm not sure it's such a good idea…"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of ya if anything goes wrong. Ketchup?" Evelynne looked over at her fries, considering for a moment before shaking her head. With a shrug, he twisted the cap tight and tipped it up to his mouth, leaning his head back slightly and closing his eyes as he squirted the bottle. Evelynne felt her jaw drop as she watched, suddenly feeling nauseas. He moved back, placing the ketchup back down with a contented sigh, turning toward her with his neutral grin. "So, you gonna try it, or what?" Evelynne watched him for another moment, deciding this was yet another question that could wait, before she brought the glass to her lips and tipped it just slightly. She drew in a bit of the liquid, Sans watching carefully for her reaction.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she placed the glass back down. The taste was surprisingly fresh and sweet, almost fruity. There was just a slight undertone of bitterness, and the aftertaste was strange, but she liked it. It left a slight burning trail down her throat that caused her to cough once...twice...but that was all, much to her relief. A warmth spread in her chest and stomach. "Well?"

"I...like it, actually." Sans hummed in response, turning back to his ketchup bottle as Evelynne picked up a fry.

"Anyway, cool or not, you have to agree Papyrus tries real hard. Like how he keeps trying to be part of the Royal Guard." Evelynne raised an eyebrow at this.

"Royal Guard...Why?"

"Papyrus dreams big. The Royal Guard here is mostly in place to protect the Underground from potentially harmful humans. Lately, they've been tasked with catching any human that falls down here, no questions asked," Sans explained, pausing only to squirt more ketchup into his mouth. Evelynne munched quietly on her fries, taking slow sips of her drink as he explained. "You know, the whole human-souls-for-freedom movement, they've got going on. Because of that, the Royal Guard is highly respected and well-known, down here. Pap...Has trouble making lasting friendships."

"Many people say they want fame, thinking it'll fill the emptiness they feel. But I've heard it never does," Evelynne said quietly, and the two of them let that hang in the air for a moment. Sans was worried about his brother. That was obvious, despite the fact that his poker face was well-controlled. He took another drink from the ketchup.

"One day, he went to the house of the head of the Royal Guard and begged her to let him be in it. Of course, she shut the door on him, because it was midnight." His voice wavered with a chuckle, and Evelynne smiled warmly at the thought. Of course he would go at midnight. "But the next day, she woke up and saw him still standing there. Seeing his dedication, she decided to give him warrior training. It's, uh, still a work in progress."

"Papyrus has a big heart...When we first saw him, he was pretty frightening...but now, I can't imagine him hurting a fly," Evelynne admitted, laughing at the irony. "I'm sure it's good for him, but it would be a shame for someone so innocent to take part in that." Silence fell once again, and Evelynne frowned. "I hope he makes it, I really do. He deserves it. But I hope he never has to hurt anyone," she admitted, giving Sans a long look at his profile before turning back to her food. She ate several more fries, getting halfway through her plate before he broke the silence once again.

"I wanted to ask you about something...but that something has suddenly turned into several things." Evelynne turned to him, concern furrowing her brow at his speculative tone.

"Ask away. I owe you some answers in exchange for your kindness. And I have nothing else to do today, so I have time." Sans leaned forward once again, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes. Suddenly, the room became silent and dark, and Evelynne looked around in alarm. Nobody was moving or making a single sound. It was as if everything had just...frozen in time.

"Have you ever heard of a talking flower?" Evelynne's eyes shot back to Sans. He looked intensely focused on the conversation, his pupils bright. Evelynne dropped the fry she had been holding, letting both hands rest on her lap. Was he...freezing time? Was that part of his magical ability? She frowned, pushing the question to the back of her mind. A talking flower. Was he talking about Flowey? He must be.

"Yes."

"So you know all about it." He turned his gaze forward again, as if interested in the bottles against the wall in front of them. "The Echo Flower." Evelynne frowned, but didn't correct him. He knew better than her, afterall. Probably. "They're all over the marsh. The place you were headed towards, earlier? Say something to them, and they'll repeat it over and over." He suddenly went quiet, as if becoming lost in thought.

"Sounds...strange. But, what about it?" He turned his head toward her now, his gaze serious. She always felt a strange feeling shoot through her when those white pinpricks of light gazed into her eyes. It was as if he was searching through her, down to her soul.

"Papyrus told me something interesting, the other day." He pushed up from the bar, sitting straight on the stool. "Sometimes, when no one else is around, a flower appears and whispers things to him. Flattery, advice, encouragement," he averted his gaze once again, looking past her for a moment. "Predictions." Evelynne felt a shiver run up her spine. Nothing sounded good about this. "Weird, huh?" He asked, moving his gaze back to hers. "Someone must be using an Echo Flower to play a trick on him."

"And you think we're doing it?" Evelynne assumed, an edge of hurt entering her tone. He shook his head in response.

"No. I was hoping you'd help keep an eye out. It seems like you'll be headed in that direction, soon." Evelynne watched him carefully for a moment before nodding. It was the least she could do, and didn't drive them off course. Why not?

"I'll tell you if I see anything strange when we go through the marsh. Are you sure it's an Echo Flower?" He stared, considering her words for a moment.

"Any other suggestions?" Evelynne shrugged, thinking back to the flower in the ruins. Flowey hadn't seemed the type to whisper encouragement and flattery. Advice, maybe. Predictions? The more Evelynne thought about it, the more uncomfortable it made her. But Flowey had been in the ruins, and had been shooed away by Toriel's attack. It probably wasn't him.

"Not really. It just seems sort of strange. I haven't seen a single Echo Flower before today." Evelynne pushed her half-empty plate back, gazing forward blankly. A moment later, Sans stood from beside her, yawning. Life returned back to the bar, the loud chatter and barking suddenly coming back with the brightness of Grillby's flames. It was almost overwhelming, for a moment. She turned toward him, pausing as he leaned back to stretch.

"Welp, that was a long break. I can't believe I let ya pull me away from work for that long." Evelynne raised an eyebrow, staring at him incredulously.

"But...you invited me out. What about your other questions?" Sans simply grinned at her.

"Those can wait. Oh, by the way, I'm flat broke. Can you foot the bill?" Evelynne stared at him in shock, her mouth working silently before she sighed. Reaching down for the pouch of gold at her hip, she frowned.

"I can...how much is it?" Evelynne untied the pouch, frowning. It felt...heavy.

"Don't worry. It's just ten thousand G." Evelynne looked up at him with wide eyes, fighting back annoyance. How could he do that to her? She looked down as she untied the pouch.

"Quit joking around! I only...have…" Evelynne stared dumbly at the pouch. It was definitely much more gold than she remembered having. Certainly more than the ten gold coins she had counted the night before, after paying for another food item for their trip. Their bag was becoming better stocked for the gold they had come in with, but she had been left with almost no gold. Now, though...the pouch was almost full.

"Just kidding," Sans said, and Evelynne was still too shocked to look up at him. Where had this gold come from? It wasn't there earlier this morning…"Grillby, put it on my tab," he called, turning to leave before stopped. Evelynne finally looked up as he looked over his shoulder. "By the way…" Sans stopped, and Evelynne waited with furrowed brows. "...I was going to say something, but I forgot." Without another word, he left the bar, leaving her alone and confused. She looked down at the pouch, unsure of what to do. Tying the pouch carefully, she returned it to her hip and turned back toward the bar. She picked up the glass, downing the rest of the liquid quickly before standing. She held Sans's hoodie, about to put it on when a thought occurred to her.

Everyone in the bar had greeted Sans. They all knew him. Maybe they could shed some light on the skeleton. Evelynne set her face into a determined stare as she looked around the room. It was her best bet. He always seemed to leave before she had a chance to ask any of her questions.

"Thank you, Grillby." Evelynne said quickly to the man as he swept by and collected their plates. Sans hadn't eaten a single fry.

Moving over to the others sitting around the bar, Evelynne moved to talk to an older, pale monster. So began a long task of gathering information. Evelynne spoke to each customer in the restaurant, catching strange glances from Grillby. She bet that he knew more than everyone here. If Sans was as regular as everyone suggested, Grillby surely would have more information. But he didn't seem to speak, and so Evelynne didn't try.

Evelynne learned that most of the monsters knew him as a Sentry, but generally agreed that he didn't do anything on the job. She learned from Doggo that he had a habit of appearing without moving...whatever that meant. Dogamy and Dogaressa, the dog couple that had nearly chopped off her limbs, offered little in information, other than that they liked him very much. The monster with huge teeth and the drunk bunny monster also offered very little information, though Evelynne wondered if Sans had some sort of relationship with the drunken rabbit. Sansy...was an interesting nickname.

Other than complaining about his laziness, and his strange ability to move without moving...no one had a bad thing to say about him. Evelynne left the restaurant with a frown, trudging through the snow slowly as she huddled into his hoodie. She hadn't learned much, and none of her questions were answered, but...it seemed she hadn't been wrong in trusting him. Evelynne sighed, watching the puff of air appear in front of her. They were leaving, soon. With this extra gold…

Evelynne stopped, remembering what he had said about being broke. Was he serious? Had he...given her his gold? There was no other explanation. But when? Had he slipped the gold into her pouch at the bar? Evelynne took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. This skeleton...was far more interesting and frustrating than she had thought. She wanted to know more about him. He was starting to become mysterious. And Evelynne's curiosity was drawing her to him like a magnet.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to leave a review!

Tiny shout out list!

For favoriting like awesome people: **Era Nephilia, mariah. ,** and **whitepaladin0151**! Thank you guys so much!

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Thanks for reading, I'm going to bed because tired, I love you all, SYANU!


	14. Thoughts

**A/N:** ...Lol.

Okay but really classes start tomorrow.

Evelynne chappie.

Note to those who really love this story at the bottom after shoutouts!

* * *

"...You two did what?"

"We went on a date, tall human!" Papyrus held both hands on Frisk's knees as she sat on his shoulders, tiny arms wrapped around his skull. "It was very fun! We wore nice clothes to show we care, complimented each other, exchanged gifts, and revealed our undying love for one another….platonically." Evelynne exhaled loudly at his explanation, an amused smile lighting up her features. Platonic. Good.

"That's nice. Did you have fun?" Evelynne asked, looking up at the smiling Frisk. She nodded vigorously.

"Of course! I, The Great Papyrus, am the best at dating!" Evelynne giggled.

"I'm sure you are, Papyrus. You're the best at many things," she said, smiling widely. "Especially at cooking spaghetti." Papyrus blushed, a faint orange tint dusting his cheeks. Evelynne had seen his blush for the first time a couple days ago, when she had complimented a meal he had made entirely by himself. Cooking together had inspired him to work with more care, and the results were amazing. He had a lot of potential as a chef. So she told him, and the expression of joy that lit his features was almost as intense as the one he wore now. She had been amazed at seeing the color on his cheeks, and wondered how it was even possible...let alone the color being so strange. Now, though, she accepted it as just another reason he was adorable. Could Sans blush too?

"Sans! Did you hear that! The human said I am the best at cooking spaghetti!" Sans looked over his shoulder from the couch, a lazy expression on his face.

"Yeah, bro. You've gotten really good. I can hardly imagine all the pastabilities." She watched as Papyrus deadpanned, Sans grinning in anticipation.

Evelynne had just returned from her final shopping trip, here. Not even half of her gifted gold was gone, but Frisk's bag was heavy on her shoulder. They would be leaving in the morning.

By the time she had returned to the house, Sans had come home from his job. He was usually out of the house early and home late, and she had suddenly been able to understand why he was said to be lazy. He worked all day. No matter what he did, he was still making money. He was probably exhausted all of the time. But he was home early, tonight. She didn't question it.

"Sans! No more puns!" Evelynne and Frisk laughed with Sans. That was another thing. Papyrus seemed to get so annoyed with Sans's puns, but she knew he liked them. He even found them clever. He had admitted it to her the other night while she spectated his cleaning. He hadn't allowed her to help.

Evelynne shrugged the bag off of her shoulder and placed it beside the door, dropping the pouch of gold beside it as Papyrus and Frisk moved to the couch, the familiar MTT music playing as the program started. Evelynne was sure that Papyrus was in love with Mettaton. He was probably that robot's biggest fan.

She slipped off her boots, looking out the window at the heavy snow fall. Part of her was glad to leave this snowy hell. Her cough was still sticking around, almost two weeks later. It had to be the cold. Still...another part of her wanted to stay. She felt safe and happy here, laughing at Sans's puns and cooking with Papyrus. It was almost...like a family. Evelynne looked behind her at the three sitting on the couch, Frisk currently scrambling away from Papyrus's tickling fingers and shrieking with laughter. Sans watched them with a relaxed and amused expression, the remote hanging loosely from his hand as he leaned back against the armrest. A wave of sadness hit Evelynne hard, tears gathering in her eyes and burning. She blinked them away as she turned, finally unzipping Sans's hoodie and resting it on the table by his pet rock, careful to avoid the sprinkles scattered around it. Because that was apparently what pet rocks liked to eat.

Moving past the couch without looking back, Evelynne made her way up the steps to the bathroom. She closed the door and locked it quietly, turning toward the mirror. She didn't need a shower. She'd taken one that morning. Still, sitting idly in the hot water sounded appealing. She sighed, observing her reflection and looking into her gray eyes. Her skin hadn't become any less pale, since she left the hospital. The six months she'd spent in the sun hadn't seemed to affect her. She had spent most of it covered up, anyway. Her black hair had grown a little longer since she'd fallen. Instead of ending neatly at her chin, it extended just the slightest bit farther, fraying at the ends. She looked down at her hands, braced against the sink.

She had asked Frisk again, just to be sure. Last night, as they cuddled on the couch, she had asked if they were really going to leave...if they absolutely had to. She had learned that Frisk's desire to stay was possibly greater than her own, but that kid was determined to move forward. If Evelynne was honest with herself, she knew that they had to move on. Somewhere, deep down, something had told her days ago that it was time to leave. Taking a shuddering breath, Evelynne leaned forward and turned on the faucet. She filled her hands with clean, warm water, splashing it onto her face. It felt good, and she repeated the action several more times before turning off the water and pressing her face into one of the clean towels the brothers had laid out for their guests.

Leaving the bathroom, Evelynne could hear the loud and obnoxious music of MTT, over which was the louder sound of Papyrus yelling at his brother. Sans had made another pun. Evelynne laughed silently, shaking her head as she moved forward. After taking a step, however, a creaking noise to her left caught her attention and caused her to freeze. She looked down the hall, eyes widening as the only door leaked a blue light into the hall. Evelynne knew it was Sans's room, and it was normally locked up tight. Even when he was home, he never let anyone inside. Papyrus had admitted that he only went in every once in awhile, claiming it was weird. Like a different world, he had said. A world where they don't know how to vacuum. Evelynne had laughed so hard, when he said that. Probably the hardest she'd ever laughed in her life. Papyrus was so sweet, innocent, and oblivious that every joke he told always took her by surprise.

She stared at the door, frozen in place as she argued with herself. Go look, curiosity urged. Respect his privacy, logic demanded. Evelynne looked over toward the staircase, as if she would be able to hear anyone coming up over the ruckus downstairs. She heard Sans speaking, and her heart slammed against her chest. Curiosity won out. It always did. It was now or never.

Evelynne crept forward slowly, staying as quiet as possible as she inched toward the door. She jumped slightly as a loud screech came from downstairs, but it was followed quickly by a yelled praise of Mettaton. Rolling her eyes, Evelynne pushed forward, her hand resting on the cool wood. She pushed it open slowly, her eyes fighting to adjust to the light. It was completely dark in the room, save for the source of the blue light. A computer similar to Papyrus's sat in the left corner closest to her, set next to a...pile of socks.

Evelynne slipped into the room and closed the door behind her, the knob turning silently with her careful movements. The blue glow of the screen illuminated enough for her to see everything. Socks were everywhere, and Evelynne had to stifle a laugh. Papyrus was correct, it seemed. To her right was a self-sustaining tornado made of...papers, books, and a plate of spaghetti. Evelynne raised an eyebrow, almost tempted to reach in and look at the papers or books if not for her fear of destroying the tornado. She assumed his magic had something to do with it, and she wondered briefly why he would bother. Reaching her hand out to get close, she felt nothing but air rush past her skin. No tingling, no cooling sensation, no magic. She frowned, but opted not to touch it anyway.

Directly in the middle of the room stood a treadmill that she was certain he never used. At the moment, it was probably the cleanest thing in the room, but she didn't doubt that he covered it in clothing and papers from time to time. A bed sat in the far right corner, the mattress misshapen. The sheets and blankets were balled up on top, the pillow resting on the floor. Evelynne raised an eyebrow and moved forward, noticing a letter on the floor beside the pillow. She noted how it laid on the ground before squatting and flipping it over. Staring at it blankly, Evelynne suddenly felt the urge to giggle. It was a letter to Santa. It was sealed. Did Sans write it? Or had he offered to mail it for his brother? There was little doubt in her mind that Papyrus believed in Santa. She was almost shocked to find that the monsters had similar holidays and ideas that humans had, but decided that there was more to the monsters that met the eye. They were far more advanced than she had given them credit for, after all. Besides, things just seemed to…'work,' here. Like the tornado.

Evelynne made sure to lay the letter in the exact position she found it, standing to look around some more. To her left was some sort of dresser, a tall lamp on top that she couldn't hope to reach. Why would he put a floor lamp on top of a dresser? She looked down at the dresser, observing its one small drawer. It had been left open slightly, and Evelynne pulled it open with curiosity.

Trombones. There were trombones in here. Four trombones. Could he even play them? What…

Evelynne breathed out a sigh. No matter what, she always ended up with more questions than answers, with him. She pressed her hand against the drawer, about to push it closed, when a silver glint caught her eyes. Furrowing her brows, she reached in and felt around with her thin fingers, barely able to push past the trombone slides. Her fingers grazed something soft, and she guessed it was more clothing. But something metallic and light fell into her grasp, and she pulled it out to observe a tiny silver key. Evelynne stared at it with curiosity, searching around the room for what it might belong to. There were no other doors or boxes that required a key. She pursed her lips, looking down at the little key with conflict. It had been partially hidden under rumpled clothing. She looked back toward the door at another loud sound from downstairs before closing the drawer and slipping the key into her pocket.

Last was the computer, and Evelynne crept quickly toward it. If a webpage was open, or a document, maybe it could shed light on the skeleton and his mysteries. She slowly lowered herself into the chair, staring with interest at the screen. There was a document up, but...she couldn't understand anything on it. Evelynne narrowed her eyes, reading whatever words she could find. Most of the first page looked to be equations similar to those she had seen when she was taught algebra. But...they were far more complicated. There were no numbers. She scrolled down, looking through all of them. Pages and pages of equations. Evelynne stared in awe as she scrolled. Page 10...11...12...more and more equations. Finally, on page 16 she had reached the end...and the first words of the entire document were typed here, followed by one more string of letters and lines.

What had gone wrong?

Evelynne felt a pang of anxiety in her chest. What? What had gone wrong with what? Did Sans write all this? Was he some sort of...scientist? Or genius? She leaned back, staring dumbly at the computer. No. This must have just been a used computer of some scientist, or a downloaded document he found somewhere. That skeleton sitting downstairs who loved to tell puns, sleep, and drink ketchup didn't write this. There was no way. Evelynne moved forward and scrolled back up to the top, picking herself up carefully from the chair and turning to leave the room. But a faint sound emitted from the computer, and the blue light blinked out, leaving her at the mercy of the lights bleeding in through the window. She turned, tilting her head in curiosity as she moved forward, observing the black screen. She bent over and placed a hand on the mouse, shaking it to see if maybe the screen had gone into sleep mode..but nothing happened. Light was still escaping the screen, and a stab of panic caused her heart to beat rapidly. Had she broken it? There was no way she'd get away with her snooping now! This was a bad idea...

Suddenly she stopped, watching as symbols appeared on the screen. She couldn't understand them. The symbols were strange to her and meant nothing, but there was a pattern that she began observing as the phantom message appeared, symbols being used in the same pattern several times...but she couldn't even begin to guess what they meant.

Evelynne sat down again, waiting for anything else to happen. When it didn't, she was left staring blankly at a black screen with white symbols. She felt as if it was...important. Like she should understand it. Frustration crept through her as she stared, hoping the symbols would translate themselves. But they didn't. She suppressed the urge to groan, sitting back. Why was this bothering her? She knew why. It had to do with Sans. He was infuriating. She knew nothing about him. They had barely spoken since he left her at Grillby's. Didn't he have other questions he wanted to ask? What about her questions? Evelynne huffed in frustration before a buzzing from the computer drew her back to the present. The screen looked like it was glitching, the black background fading, along with the message. Evelynne felt panic shoot through her, looking around for some sort of paper to document the symbols. Maybe she could ask Papyrus, or maybe…

The screen glitched again, and Evelynne suddenly reached into her pocket, praying the old flip phone camera worked. She opened it and the application, the image blurry and shaking on the camera. Planting her elbows on the desk, she steadied her grip and snapped a few quick photos before the screen glitched one final time, the symbols disappearing. Evelynne sighed, closing the phone and looking at the computer with a raised eyebrow. What was going on?

Once again, she stood from the computer, this time uninterrupted as she made her way back to the door. Sparing one last glance around the room, she silently turned the knob and pushed open the door ever so slightly. A cheer came from the living room, a childish giggle accompanying it. She slipped out into the hall and shut the door silently, freezing as Papyrus's voice sliced through the air.

"Tall human! Are you okay!" He was calling from downstairs, likely assuming she was still in the bathroom. Or, less likely, his room. He had offered Frisk and Evelynne full access to his room whenever they needed a quiet place Because, to be honest, his walls were impressively soundproofed. Why, she didn't know, but it was nice to get away from the noise when she needed it.

"I'll go check on her." Oh no. Evelynne put a hand over her mouth to muffle a curse as she heard Sans volunteer. She moved as quickly and quietly as she could to the bathroom door, hearing the steps creak with his approach. She slipped in quickly, silently shutting the door and locking it as fast as she could. Resting an ear against the door, she listened closely as the creaking of the stairs stopped. A door was opened down the hall, and promptly closed again. Sans had checked Papyrus's room first. Then, without any sounds of approaching footsteps, a knock came from the other side of her door. Evelynne jumped back, a hand flying up to her mouth in surprise.

"Occupied!" She said, a little too urgently. Silence greeted her for a moment, and her eyes flicked down to the door handle to make sure she had, in fact, locked it.

"Are you okay? You've been in there a while." Evelynne sighed out her anxiety. There was no suspicion or anger in his voice. Just curiosity. She was safe.

"Fine, just…one moment." Evelynne moved and slowly turned the faucet on, once again splashing her face with warm water to calm her nerves before drying herself off with a towel again. She walked to the door, unlocking it loudly and opening it to see him leaning on the bannister across the way. His hands were, surprisingly, not in his pockets, but resting lazily on the bannister to help keep his balance. "Sorry…I just got lost in thought." He raised a brow at her statement. "I, uh...couldn't decide if I wanted to take another shower or not," she clarified, averting her eyes and shrugging.

" _Water_ you planning?" Evelynne looked up at him, smiling.

"I think I've wasted enough of your hot water, for today. I just needed to blow off some _steam_."

"Well, if that's the problem, why don't we go to Grillby's and _warm_ things up a little?" His grin contorted into a new expression, one side higher than the other while the general shape narrowed. Was he smirking at her? Did he just make a suggestive comment for the sake of a pun?

Two could play at that game.

"I don't think so. I may become too _hot_ to handle." Despite the confidence she forced into her voice, she still blushed slightly. Flirty puns were ones she'd never practiced often. It was a little awkward, making those jokes at her brother. But it also left plenty of room to come up with material.

"You're right. You're really _burning_ me up." That was a good one. Evelynne grinned. The more they joked, the more confident she would get.

"Well then, how do you like your ribs; _smoked_ or _charred_?" His eyes widened at that, only for a moment, before his grin returned.

"Now we're really turning up the _heat_."

"I've been told I'm a real _firebrand_." He paused as she winked at him, his smirk falling for a moment. She waited for a response, looking into his wide eyes. "Hadn't thought of that one? Hmm. I think, Sans, that you've met your match." She said smugly, sticking her tongue out at him playfully as she slid by him. He watched her go, she could feel his gaze on her back. She had impressed him. Good.

With a relaxed smile, Evelynne stepped lightly down the steps, her hand falling to the pocket with the key.

She'd find out what it goes to. Somehow, she needed to figure out what those symbols meant. She had a feeling they were related. Papyrus...she'd have to ask him when Sans wasn't in the room...

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to leave a review! Hope it didn't suck!

Shout-outs to these amazing people!

For favoriting! - **HerpyDerperson, LunaLuminous, Theinzmann111,** and **night-gale1720**!

and for Reviewing! **WandererRaen, Angel of Randomosity,** and **OtakuWhovian1224**! There is nothing I love more than reading your comments. Seriously. Thank you guys so much!

Okay. Supeer. _Seeecreeet. **Speeeeciiiaaal**_. Message! (Spongebob anyone? No. Awh.)

So I got a pm the other day from a silent reader asking if I did fan art for my story, to which I promptly replied with "If I made fan art for my story, people would not be able to tell the difference between Sans and the rock family." In other words, No. I suck at drawing and I don't really have enough time in my life to become art program savvy. I would love to, really. I love this fandom. But uh, no.

Then they asked if I wanted some.

So I'm throwing this out there. I don't know if anyone wants to or has thought of some art for the story, but I would Love. _love. **Love**_. To see anything you guys make. I'm already planning to do polls once or twice. I like to get others involved in my creating.

So I've created a Tumblr. I do not do many things. I have an old DA account I can't even remember the password for. I do photography and music and writing, and that's it. But I have created a Tumblr, and I encourage anyone to post anything they want about the story/ask questions/say hello (it'll force me to learn how the website works haha) and yeah. I might post my photography there, or just link my flickr. Whatever.

Anyway, Dudes and dudettes (I'm in a strange mood, lol) let me know if you're interested in doing some art or anything of that nature! I would love to see it! and HMU! :D

My Tumblr iiissss ke-hlf-music

You'll know it's mine if there is a suggestive and cheesy pickup line quote that makes me laugh forever...and it is the only post.

Thanks guys! As always, I love you all, and SYANU!


	15. Waterfall

**A/N:** Short chapter. I had a lot of indecision with how this chapter should go. Otherwise, it would've been out sooner. However, this is a little filler/closure chapter before we move forward. Hope it doesn't suck too much!

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a review!

* * *

Snow. That's all it ever did here. Evelynne didn't know how any of them could live in such an environment. Maybe they didn't have much of a choice? No matter the reason, Evelynne knew she'd go insane if she had to live here forever. Even if watching the snowfall from the window calmed her nerves. A light tapping on her hip prompted her to turn away, however, and she found herself looking down at a smiling Frisk.

"Ready to go?" She asked, mentally checking off everything Frisk should be wearing. Hoodie, gloves, scarf, and backpack. The affirmative hum in response to her question ended the checklist, and Evelynne grinned, pushing back the slight sadness she felt. She may be tired of the snow, but she'd miss the brothers.

Sans and Papyrus had spent the night with them. Papyrus and Frisk had fallen asleep cuddling on the couch, and Evelynne had almost squealed from how cute the sight was. They had become the best of friends, almost always playing in the snow or watching movies together. She could see in Frisk's eyes a reluctance to leave, but also an acceptance. She seemed so sure that everything would be okay. Evelynne wished she had that confidence.

As for Sans….he had stayed up much later than she had expected. Evelynne found herself struggling to sleep out of anxiety, and he had stayed up with her, telling her stories about Papyrus. More than once she had to slam her pillow against her face to muffle her laughter, glaring at him in mock irritation. She couldn't remember falling asleep, though she could guess where the blanket had come from when she woke up.

"Okay. Got the cell phone?" Evelynne muttered, checking her own pocket. The right pocket held the rectangular device which held Toriel's and now Papyrus's phone number. "Good," she confirmed, having felt over her pocket with her hand. The other pocket still held the key, and she decided that she'd hold onto it just incase. She had no idea if she'd be coming back...but something told her she'd find its use somewhere.

With a sigh she opened the front door, the cold hitting her exposed stomach and shoulders and causing a violent shiver to rip through her. She had decided to save their money and skip out on buying one of those huge sweatshirts. They looked like they were made for the bear monsters. It wouldn't be a long walk anyway, twenty minutes at the most. Yet she dreaded every step in the near-blizzard. Frisk stepped out bravely ahead of her, as if the snow didn't phase her.

"Forgetting something?" Evelynne jumped, gasping as she whirled around. Sans had appeared behind her, blue hoodie in hand. She had left it folded on the couch, intending to leave before either brother woke from their slumber. But it seems Sans had caught her. She set a confident look on her face, determination in her gaze. "Miss being sick?"

"I'm still sick, so no," she responded sarcastically, knowing full well her health had been a rising concern as of late. Mostly for Papyrus, at least. He had insisted on making her his super special spaghetti almost every night, made with extra healing magic to fix her illness. Despite his efforts, it seemed that her cough was as stubborn as she could be. "I can't take your hoodie. I don't know if we'll ever be back here. What if I can't return it to you?" She asked, and Sans's right eyebrow lifted at her response. He shrugged before tossing the hoodie at her.

"I have a feeling we'll see each other again," he said simply, grinning at her as she sighed and reluctantly put the hoodie on. Despite being forced to accept his charity, she couldn't stop the smile of contentment that forced its way onto her lips as she snuggled into its warmth.

"I hope you're right. I'd feel awful if I didn't get this back to you." She smiled at him, all of her determination gone from her gaze. He was so sweet, worrying about her health. Sure, he didn't show it like Papyrus did. Papyrus had waited on her hand and foot on her worst days. But Sans was subtle, performing small kindnesses for their benefit. It amazed her how much they seemed to care for her and Frisk after just meeting them.

"Remember to keep an eye out for anyone playing tricks on Pap in Waterfall," he reminded her, his stare intense as she zipped up the hoodie. Waterfall? Was that the name of the next region? "The Echo Flowers mostly grow in the marsh, but you'll see them in other places, too." Evelynne nodded, flipping the hood up over her head.

"I'll call Papyrus's phone if I find anything. Don't worry. I'll do my best!" She smiled at him, and he nodded in response. Taking that as a dismissal, Evelynne turned, her eyes scanning for Frisk. The child was several steps ahead, staring down at the path in front of them.

"Be careful." Evelynne looked over her shoulder, about to respond with a joke when she found him gone. All that was left was the sound of Papyrus's snoring from the couch, and Evelynne furrowed her brows before shaking her head. She had expected him to ask his questions from their night at Grillby's, but he hadn't. She had expected him to ask her questions about the surface, but he hadn't. Instead, he had told her stories about his brother that left her laughing hysterically until she fell asleep. He certainly was a mystery to her, and Evelynne always loved mystery books as a teenager.

"I will," She whispered into the open air, grabbing the doorknob and pulling it shut behind her as she stepped out into the snow. Frisk was staring at her expectantly now, and she quickly caught up, shoving her hands in the pockets of the hoodie and sighing at the softness of the material. "Alright! Let's get moving!" Frisk nodded vigorously, grabbing on to Evelynne's arm as they moved forward.

It wasn't long before the two found their way through the dense fog and back to where Evelynne had seen Sans. This time, however, no one was there. The monster kid had, evidently, moved on, as well as the strange fish monster near the echo flower. Evelynne stopped in front of Sans's station, brows furrowing as she turned to Frisk.

"Sans drinks ketchup. Did you know that?" Frisk rose an eyebrow at the random question before shaking her head. "Weird, isn't it? I mean...to each their own, but…" Evelynne trailed off, looking forward down the path. No one seemed to be up ahead, and the caverns seemed almost silent, other than the sounds of rushing water. Evelynne steeled herself, taking a deep breath. They had to move forward. The unknown was necessary. "Okay," she breathed, looking back down at Frisk before moving forward. This time, they had no guide. No Toriel, no Sans. Anxiety made itself known to Evelynne, but she pushed it down. The best thing they could do was keep moving. They had to.

They would get back to the surface together.

* * *

Okay. Okay. This semester is promising a lot of stress. I have a ton of work to do, but I'm eager to move forward with this story, so we'll see what happens!

Okay, I have totally lost track of favorites, and I'm exhausted. So a huge shout out to all of you amazing people who like my story enough to favorite it! Really, it means a lot...I'm just...so lazy...:( I love you all. I'm so sorry.

BUT Reviews are easier to keep track of. So I'll do those shout-outs ;) SOOOOooooo

HUGE shout-outs to the following lovely people!

 **WandererRaen, Angel of Randomosity, ByAGhost,** and **xXGlamorousGloraXx**! I love reading what you guys think, really. It helps me decide how I'm gonna go about future chapters. I really appreciate your time and opinions!

Thank you all so much! I love you all, and I'll start writing the next chapter today. I'll SYANU!

P.s. thanks to those of you who have found me on tumblr and left a message or pm on here about art. It means a lot that people are interested, so don't worry about being too busy! I made it just for this purpose, so do whatever! Seriously. I'm so happy that people want to contribute! :D


	16. Undyne

**A/N:** I'm an adult. I think. But it's totally past my bedtime. I was falling asleep during proofreading, but I wanted to get this out tonight. Let me know if you see any mistakes!

 **Edit:** Fixed some stuff, added some stuff, descripted some stuff...

* * *

"Waterfall...I barely know anything about it. But I'll do my best to inform you!" Evelynne and Frisk looked at each other with amused smiles before looking back at the phone in Frisk's hand. They had stopped to rest, and Frisk had geniusly dialed Papyrus on speaker right after Evelynne had expressed missing his enthusiasm. No matter what the situation, his cheery attitude was contagious. She could use that, right now. "My brother has a station there! It's the farthest I've ever gone. He mans two stations at once! Amazing, isn't he? He slacks off twice as much as normal! Normal folk can only dream of such sloth!" Frisk giggled, and Evelynne smiled in response.

Waterfall was a quiet place. They had been walking for a few hours, only interrupted once by the cutest little germaphobe Evelynne had ever seen. Frisk and Evelynne had been thoroughly cleaned, much to her chagrin, before being sent on their way. While almost ominous, they were allowed time to enjoy the silence and beauty. Waterfall was dark, even in areas with lanterns. The dark blue stone walls absorbed the light and trapped it away, leaving a slight blue glow to light their path. It was….calming. Even the ground, which seemed to have a sandy texture, was a deep blue color.

After wading knee-deep through water and dodging rocks, a chill had returned to Evelynne, regardless of her decision to stay in Sans's hoodie. Despite the danger that had been giant boulders attempting to squash them, Frisk had somehow found an alcove past the waterfall and now wore an old dusty tutu, ignoring Evelynne's questioning gaze.

Then they had found themselves walking through some really tall grass...and on the edge above them...

"Papyrus, something happened to us," Evelynne began, and his rambling on the other end came to a pause. "Are you sure you haven't gone farther into Waterfall? Because, I can't be certain," she was definitely certain, "but we thought we heard your voice about two hours ago. Talking to someone. Someone named Undyne?" Silence. Almost a full minute of it, actually. Finally, nervous laughter began.

"I-I had...an awkward encounter there, today! Wowie, it's a good thing you weren't around to hear what we were talking about! You really didn't hear what we said! I love that fact, and repeating it!" Evelynne sighed, shaking her head. Poor Papyrus. She was certain the poor skeleton had a heart of gold. He was probably severely conflicted. "H...hey! Have you passed through the bridge seed puzzles yet? Did you know that you need four bridge seeds in a row for them to grow? Then you can just walk right across them!" He laughed nervously again, and Frisk gave her a pleading stare. "They're sort of limited in usefulness. Why don't we have airplane seeds? Or phones that can turn into jetpacks! Or-"

"Papyrus." He quieted immediately, and they could practically feel his dread through the phone. "It's okay. But I need to know...I need to ask if you're going to be a threat." Evelynne knew it was an awkward question to ask him, and the horrified gasp in response was enough to clear her worries. She closed her eyes as he responded quickly.

"Never! I would never harm my two new best friends! Even if it means I have to be...less than honest with my superiors!" Evelynne sighed, smiling in relief. She didn't want to avoid contacting Papyrus, or Sans for that matter. Even though she didn't have his phone number….did he have a phone?...his reassurance of seeing her again had her looking expectantly around any corners. "In fact! Undyne asked me if you were wearing an old dusty tutu, and I told her that you were, because you obviously were not when you left! It pained me to tell such a bold-faced lie, but your safety is important to me! Dang! I just want to be friends with everyone," he finished sadly, and Evelynne frowned.

"Oh, Papyrus. You lied just to keep us safe?" Evelynne looked over at Frisk pointedly, and she quickly stood and slid off the tutu, stuffing it into her bag. "That's so brave of you. I hope you won't get in trouble."

"Do not worry about me, humans! I only hope that you can continue forward unharmed!" Evelynne smiled, shame flooding through her. How could she think he'd hurt them?

"Thank you so much, Papyrus. We'll give you another call soon, okay?" He responded with an enthusiastic goodbye, and Evelynne ended the call with a sigh. "What a sweetheart. I guess we really don't have anything to worry about." Evelynne muttered, feeling relieved. Frisk shifted beside her, and Evelynne handed her the phone. "Let's keep moving. This Undyne person might be out looking for us. It's best to keep moving." And they did, solving another bridge seed puzzle before their journey was interrupted. This time, however, they were confronted by a….muscular seahorse.

"Hey babes. Why don't you spend some time with Aaron? I've got a lot of horsepower." He winked, and Evelynne deadpanned. What was even with this guy? He flexed his muscles, his exposed 12-pack abs bunching up.

"You can't be serious."

"Check me out, sweet cheeks!" Evelynne tried to ignore him, taking advantage of the fact that he didn't draw out their souls in attack. However, as soon as she turned to walk away, she felt the familiar tug and groaned.

"I would really like for you to leave us alone," she said, glaring. She would almost rather deal with Jerry. Almost.

"Feisty, huh? You'll change your mind, baby cakes." Baby cakes? Evelynne scowled, about to throw out an angry retort when Frisk stepped forward, flexing at Aaron. At first, he raised an eyebrow at her, before laughing. "Flexing contest? Ok, flex more!" Frisk did so, and Evelynne stood behind her quietly, staring at the scene in front of her with exhaustion. Once again, whatever she was doing was working. She just wished these monsters would ask how their day was before attacking them….or hitting on them. Aaron flexed back, his muscles bulging. "Come on, flex harder!" Frisk did so, her small body seeming to shake with effort. Aaron finally flexed thrice as hard, his body dripping sweat as he reached a new level. Evelynne felt her jaw drop as he slowly began rising, floating upwards toward the rocky ceiling. Before he hit the top she felt something tugging her forward, and she looked down to find Frisk pulling her away from the room. Dumbstruck, Evelynne followed, looking over her shoulder at the cheering seahorse man as he hit the rocks.

Okay. By far, their strangest encounter.

The two entered a new room that was far darker than the others. It was silent, and Evelynne resisted the urge to freeze in place. She couldn't hear anything...but that didn't mean no one was there. Evelynne gripped Frisk's small hand firmly, squinting through the darkness as they moved forward. A few feet in Frisk stopped suddenly, looking back at Evelynne before pointing up. Following her direction, Evelynne looked up, gasping.

The ceiling was...sparkling. The low light was reflecting off of whatever mineral was set in the stone, causing them to shine just lightly enough to see. The rock ceiling looked like dark blue velvet, and she was instantly reminded of the sky. It was beautiful, and Evelynne smiled.

"They remind me of the stars." Evelynne said breathlessly, looking back down at a nodding Frisk. "They're beautiful. I wish they were brighter." She looked up one last time, drinking in as much of the sight as she could before sighing. With a gentle push, Evelynne urged Frisk forward, and the child led her through the hall, eventually leading her to a large hall dotted with the glowing blue Echo Flowers. Evelynne sent a glance at Frisk before walking over to the closest one, careful not to speak. Maybe one of these flowers would say something about Papyrus…

"A long time ago, monsters would whisper their wishes to the stars in the sky," the flower whispered, a ghost of a sound that matched the one she had heard from the first Echo Flower she saw. So, Echo Flowers just whispered back what was said around them. "If you hoped with all your heart, your wish would come true," Evelynne smiled. It sounded like a childhood story. "Now, all we have are these sparkling stones on the ceiling." Her smile dropped and she waited, but nothing more was said until, a moment later, the flower began repeating itself. She stood up straight, frowning at Frisk as she shrugged in response. Evelynne looked back up, observing the shimmering rock ceiling with a sense of sadness. Would they ever see the stars? Had they ever? Did the have any idea what they were actually missing?

The other Echo Flowers spoke similar stories, the passer-bys having wished to see the real stars some day. Evelynne listened to each flower sadly, kneeling down so she wouldn't miss a word. It was addicting, listening to the words of some unknown person, their heart bared for the flowers. It reminded her of all her time spent wishing in the hospital, with no hope in sight. Maybe the monsters would find their escape someday, like she had. If it was even possible.

The next room had been full of ancient texts that were carved into the walls. They were almost impossible to read, but Evelynne tried her best, picking up information about the monster and human war. As she had suspected. the humans seemed to be the ones who threw the first stone. That was no surprise.

It didn't take them long to reach the end of the wooden path, a raft waiting for them at the end. Evelynne looked down at Frisk, waiting to see if the child wished to push forward. Of course, she did. Stepping onto the raft after her, Evelynne yelped as it began moving forward on its own. Waterfall was so dark, and with an open waterway came no randomly placed travel lamps. The water was pitch black before anything else, and Evelynne couldn't help but feel just the slightest bit apprehensive. She half expected there to be some giant monster with freaky tentacles trying to kill them, but she shook off the irrational thoughts. This wasn't some anime from her childhood. Sure, the monsters themselves almost embodied urban legends, but they'd been lucky so far. Evelynne set her eyes forward with determination. She had to keep it together if they were going to make it to the surface.

The raft came to a stop at another wood path, and they stepped off carefully. Frisk took hold of Evelynne's hand, holding onto it tightly as they moved forward. Evelynne looked down at her with confusion. Normally, Frisk seemed so calm. But she seemed tense, as if expecting something terrible to happen. This caused a chill to run along Evelynne's spine, and she squeezed Frisk's hand in response.

Allowing Frisk to lead suddenly left them inching along the path, and the tension was rising. Evelynne was heavily considering turning back when a flash of blue flew past her, landing in the planks in front of her in the shape of a spear. Evelynne screamed shortly, pulling Frisk back against her as she whirled around looking for the source. Her throat burned and she forced her mouth to remain closed as she coughed, wide eyes scanning the darkness. It was then that another blue spear materialized not far from her, and she ran forward without thinking, Frisk suddenly being dragged behind her as she ran. She could hear the sounds of the magical spears piercing the wood behind her, pushing her forward as fast she she could go. Frisk was barely keeping up, stumbling behind her. Her eyes were searching frantically for any escape, until barely-illuminated tall grass entered her vision. She sped forward, hoping their attacker would lose them. Bringing a hand up to shield her eyes, she moved in, hand gripping Frisk's tightly as they wove through. The sounds around them stopped and Evelynne froze, Frisk slamming into her and knocking her to the ground. Two coughs slipped through her lips before she pressed a hand tightly to her lips, staying frozen on the ground and trying to control the convulsions of her chest and the feeling in her lungs.

She felt like she was suffocating; the need to cough so great that it kept her from drawing in enough air. She squeezed her eyes shut, sweat running down her face. The sounds of heavy metal footsteps were becoming louder and louder, and Evelynne tried her best to quiet her breathing. A hand rested on her back and she jumped in surprise, almost screaming, when she found Frisk beside her. Relief shot through her until the footsteps stop, and they both sat tense, waiting for what would happen next.

But nothing did. A minute of near-silence passed. A minute of Evelynne praying to whatever omnipotent being existed that she wouldn't cough or pass out. But soon enough, the footsteps started moving away from them. Evelynne's breathing became more and more ragged as she tried her best to hold in her coughs, finally releasing them when the footsteps disappeared. Her coughs were harsh and painful, the result of forcing them down for so long. Her whole body shook and rocked with the force, and tears leaked down her face in response to the pain in her throat. Frisk had moved closer, placing one hand on her shoulder and the other on her back in an attempt at comfort. The end of the fit left Evelynne gasping for air and clearing her throat, laying on the ground until she felt like she could breathe again.

Right, Running bad. Evelynne wheezed out in an attempt at a sigh before rolling onto her back. She was getting tired of the persistent illness. It was becoming dangerous.

Frisk's face appeared in her line of vision, a look of concern etched on her features. Evelynne willed herself to smile reassuringly, but it didn't seem to do anything for her.

"Yo! You alright?" Evelynne pushed herself up onto her elbows, breathing still too shallow and shaky. The monster kid was looking at them with confusion on his face.

"We're fine," Evelynne responded, her voice trembling slightly. She cleared her throat, giving a short cough in response before continuing. "What are you doing here, kid?"

"I told you! I snuck out to see Undyne! Did you see that? She touched me! I'm never washing my face again!" Evelynne and Frisk exchanged a glance. "Man, are you unlucky. If you had been standing just a few feet to the left….don't worry! We'll see her again!"

"Great." Evelynne mumbled, laying back down as the kid ran out, the grass rustling as he left.

"Okay?" Evelynne glanced over at Frisk. She looked...terrified, and upset. The whole situation was frustrating.

"Yeah, Frisk. I'll be alright, don't worry," she responded, forcing her voice toward normalcy. She was tired, but they had to move forward. With Undyne searching, they didn't have much of a choice. Evelynne pushed herself up, annoyed at the way her legs shook. At least she was getting exercise. She reached down, grabbing Frisk's hand and pulling her up. "Hey, stop frowning. I'm standing. Come on. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be here when Undyne comes back." She smiled brightly at Frisk until the gesture was reciprocated. "Let's go see where the kid went, yeah?"

* * *

So. Tired. Gonna...bed...time...

After shout outs.

So THANK YOU to all my new followers and favoriters and the like. You guys are awesome!

 **Angel of Randomosity** and **WandererRaen** , you guys are the bomb! Thanks for always leaving me wonderful things to read ^.^

and a huge shout out to **Deggey** on Tumblr for submitting some art on my blog! I friggin love it. Seriously, the style is adorable.

Thanks for reading, let me know what you think, SYANU, and zzzzzz


	17. Stars

**A/N:** Okay so I feel like I didn't get any sleep last night even though I did and I woke up and started writing this and then this happened and I'm so tired and this took eight hours to get anywhere I liked but it's here. I haven't done any work omg. Help I'm addicted to writing this story.

Let me know if you see any mistakes, because evidently I'm still tired and falling asleep WHILE WRITING AND PROOF READING but it looked okay and...well, I really wanted to get it out. I'm forcing myself not to write for the next couple of days, or at least the rest of today...whatever.

Enjoy!

 **Edit:** Oh my lord this was a mess. I'll never rush an upload again (lol probably)

* * *

"Where do you think this leads?" Evelynne and Frisk were staring at a grey door, completely dumbfounded at its existence. It just didn't seem to fit. It looked almost...like an illusion? She looked down at Frisk, hoping she would know what to do, but she simply stared forward in confusion. "Do you...have any ideas?" Frisk shook her head, looking up as she sighed. This was new, from Frisk. She was wary and curious for the first time since they fell into the Underground. Evelynne could relate.

Shrugging at the voice in her head that cautioned her, she shook her hand from Frisk's and moved forward, her hands resting against the door. It seemed to be made of wood, feeling smooth beneath her touch. How was there a wooden door against a rock wall? She pressed into it, feeling a slight hum that made her hands tingle. Magic. What would be causing that? Throwing caution out the window, Evelynne reached down and lightly grasped the doorknob. She turned it slowly and silently, pulling it open and bracing herself for whatever horror might be behind it….but there was nothing but darkness to greet her. Evelynne glanced back at Frisk, who stood rooted to the spot. Her curiosity was too great. She needed to see what was in there.

"Frisk," Evelynne breathed, looking back down the hall. "Stay there." With that, she walked in, the door left open behind her as she inched down the dark hall. After a few moments, it seemed that she was completely surrounded by the darkness, almost as if it were a living thing wrapping itself around her, constricting her. She kept her breathing calm and her footsteps light as she continued forward before stopping suddenly. It was still dark. She could only see about two feet in front of her face. But there was an outline. She moved forward another step, squinting. There sat a monster. He wore black clothes that threatened to blend in with the darkness, but most stunning were his white features. He seemed to be almost like...Sans and Papyrus? Was this monster another skeleton? Did he know them?

His barely-open eye sockets were completely devoid of any light, but Papyrus's often were too. Two cracks appeared on his skull, one connected to each eye lid. The crack on the right drew a jagged line, reaching up over his skull. The left crack was nearly straight, running down straight to the black space that was his mouth. He didn't have teeth? The black clothing he was wearing dipped down in the front just enough for her to see the outline of his ribs. So he was a skeleton. But...what was he doing here? Was he hurt? He was currently slumped on the floor, silent, and Evelynne moved closer. Her heart suddenly began slamming against her chest as she realized he could easily reach out and grab her. Yet the magic in the air seemed to calm her. She shivered, kneeling down in front of him. There was no way to tell if he was related to the brothers. It was rude to assume he was. Evelynne studied the curve of his right eyelid. It seemed to be affected by the crack on his skull. Was it painful? Was he...dead?

"Uhm, excuse me…?" Evelynne asked tentatively. No response. She feared the worst and she reached out. "Sir?" Her hand was just about to connect with his shoulder when he shot up to sit straighter. His mouth had widened, but it was still in the shape of a smile. His eyes were opened all the way, though his right lid still drooped lower than the left. Pinpricks of white light appeared in his sockets, the left smaller than the right. He looked absolutely flabbergasted. "Are you alright?" Silence met her as this man stared at her. He seemed almost fearful for a moment, and Evelynne pulled back. Maybe a change in tactics would be better. "I'm Evelynne. I won't hurt you. Are you okay?"

"Angel." Evelyne cocked a brow at this response as he chuckled. His voice was raspy but deep, and it sent a shiver up her spine. "My creation!" He looked ecstatic and Evelynne backed away a bit more, suddenly unnerved. His hand shot out and gripped her arm suddenly and she froze, her breaths turning into short gasps. Her soul left her and floating in front of him, and he stared in wonder.

"H-hey! Let go!" She pulled away from him, standing and stepping back several feet.

"Remember!" He called, almost hysterically, and she stared at him with confusion.

"I think you're confused, old man," She said softly, slowly. Her soul sunk back into her chest, and confusion lit up her features. What was all that about? Why would he release her soul so quickly? "Do you need help?" She pressed warily, hoping he would say no so she could leave. Instead, he chuckled, and Evelynne decided she didn't like the sound of it. The deep voice seemed to fill the room, his look returning to what seemed to be a calm smile.

"You'll understand." Before Evelynne could even process this new information, he faded in front of her very eyes, leaving her in the dark room by herself. But she didn't feel alone. She felt like he was still there, watching her.

Nope.

Evelynne turned and walked quickly back down the hallway, fighting to control her rising anxiety. Every step she took felt observed, and it wasn't until she was running full speed out of the door that the feeling dissipated. However, it was replaced with a new feeling of pain as she hacked up a lung after crashing into Frisk and rolling to the floor.

What even just happened? Evelynne looked up through her gasping and coughing, looking back toward the door as if she expected him to run out after her. However, her whole body shook with an ominous feeling as she noticed the door had disappeared. She laid her head on the cool ground, her cheek pressing against the moist rocks and dirt.

"Frisk?" She called, reaching forward. Her hand was drawn up into the child's grip and she smiled. "Do me a favor," she said, still wheezing slightly. "Look at the door and tell me it's still there." Not more than a second went by before Evelynne felt her hand being tugged. She looked up at the concerned and confused face of the child before turning back toward the door. Nope, still gone. She groaned, pushing herself up.

She didn't like this. Not one bit. Phantom door holding constrictive darkness, and a phantom skeleton man giving her cryptic messages? Nope. Evelynne felt the wall where the door was, but received no confirmation of its previous existence. No buzz of magic. She looked back at Frisk, who just watched with concern.

"That did happen? I'm not crazy?" Evelynne asked, waiting for the nod before sighing and turning around. Her back rested against the wall and she looked up at the shimmery ceiling. There were lanterns here, lighting up the few minerals that still dotted the ceiling. Most of them existed over in what had been labeled the Wishing Room, but two or three could still be spotted here every few feet. At least it was light enough to walk without worrying about falling off the edge.

Evelynne sighed, pushing away from the wall. She'd be okay. She'd brush off the encounter. It was just some crazy old ghost, probably. Ghosts weren't scary. Maybe Nabstablook knew him? She'd have to ask, if she ever saw that timid ghost again. Or she could just forget. That wasn't the first crazy thing to have happened to her. Yeah. Just forget.

The walk to the next area was, of course, made in silence. Evelynne didn't mind before, and she certainly didn't mind now. She needed time to clear her thoughts. Frisk had seen the door. It existed, unless Frisk was the same brand of crazy that Evelynne probably was, and the entire underground was just a dream. In which case, she was in trouble. Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes at her own thoughts. That was more ridiculous than accepting everything here was real.

He had most definitely been a skeleton. There was no doubt about it. When his hand had reached out to grab her, it had felt similar to the texture of Sans's bones. Evelynne rubbed her arm subconsciously, taking no notice of the bruise that was forming under the fabric of the hoodie. She did notice, however, that she was warm. Too warm. She let out an exasperated sigh, unzipping Sans's hoodie and folding it over her arm for the time being. Without the hoodie she could still feel a slight chill, and she suddenly missed the thin material of her own hoodie. Frisk still wore it, however, and she wouldn't dare ask for it back as long as that was the case.

"Call?" Evelynne looked down, seeing the cell phone in Frisk's hands. She smiled brightly at the idea. They hadn't called Papyrus in a few hours.

"Yeah." Frisk hummed happily at the response and dialed Papyrus's number, putting it on speaker. Barely one ring went by before his exclamation of 'humans!' came through, causing Evelynne to laugh.

"Hey Papyrus," she greeted, squinting as shapes began to form in the distance. Good. Time to get out of this eerie place. "How are you?"

"I'm fine! I'm better than fine! I, The Great Papyrus, am ecstatic to hear from you so soon!" Frisk giggled, looking up at Evelynne happily.

"Yeah, we're happy to be talking to you. Trust me." She sighed.

"What new and amazing things have you found on your journey, humans?" Evelynne hesitated, but decided there was no harm in telling him. Maybe she'd get some answers.

"Well...we came across this room with beautiful minerals in the ceiling. I think it was called the Wishing Room." A gasp sounded through the phone.

"Sans took me there once! I made a wish!" Evelynne paused, wondering if maybe one of the forlorn wishes had belonged to them.

"What did you wish for?"

"No! I can't tell you! That goes against the rules of wishing! It'll never come true!" Evelynne smiled, shaking her head. She could remember being a child and believing in wishes and Santa. Suddenly her smile pulled down into a frown. The monsters wanted to go back to the surface...but Papyrus was so innocent. A lot of the monsters were...how long would they really last in the world she'd grown up in? "But, I have a new wish!" Evelynne was torn from her thoughts. "One that I can share!"

"Oh? What is it?"

"I wish I was talking to my cool friends! Look, it's coming true! Perhaps you wished for it, too!" She suddenly stopped, Frisk pausing beside her. A couple breathless laughs escaped her as she blinked away tears. That had to be the nicest, cutest, purest thing she'd ever heard.

"Oh, Papyrus! Of course, I did!" Evelynne confirmed, though she hadn't truly made a wish. But she was certain now that she'd tell that precious soul anything to make him happy. "I'm so happy it came true!" She cleared her throat of the sudden constricting feeling, fighting down the sudden surge of emotion. Frisk grabbed her hand again, looking up at her with an understanding smile. A triumphant laugh came from the other end, and Evelynne suddenly felt as if the incident with Undyne and the strange skeleton ghost didn't matter. She was alive and talking to one of the most amazing friends she'd ever made.

They chatted as they walked, Frisk listening and adding laughter and pleased hums when appropriate. Evelynne decided she wasn't going to ask Papyrus about the ghost skeleton, or the cryptic symbols on Sans's computer, or the key or Undyne or anything. She just wanted to hear him say his funny, amazing things as they moved forward. That is, until the shapes in the distance became clearer. A gasp cut Papyrus off mid-sentence, and he quickly asked what was happening.

"Nothing," she hurriedly assured. "I was just taken by surprise. Your brother is here." She was smiling widely. A warm flood of joy had washed through her and settled in her chest, and the feeling confused her. Perhaps she had missed him more than she thought. She brushed it aside. He had been so good to them. First order of business was returning his hoodie.

"Sans? Is that lazybones slacking off again!" Evelynne squinted, moving her gaze from his figure leaned casually against the wall to the object beside him.

"Is that...a telescope? Why?"

"Of course he has a telescope! Sans loves outer spacey sci-fi stuff!" Sans looked up in their direction, but they were still a bit too far away for her to see his pupils. There was no way he didn't see them, though. They were walking straight down the middle of the path.

"He...does? I didn't know that." Though it certainly was consistent with the Quantum Physics book. Did he really write all those equations? Maybe he really was a scientist-type.

Why was that so unsettling?

"Hmm? He never told you? Yeah, Sans never tells anybody anything!" Evelynne hummed in response, narrowing her eyes.

"We're going to talk to Sans for a bit. I haven't seen him since we left. But we'll be sure to call you again, so don't worry!" Evelynne said, smiling at his rushed goodbye before Frisk hung up. She looked down at the child with a raised brow. "He likes spacey stuff, huh? I'm getting the impression that we're missing a lot of information in regards to that skeleton." Evelynne crossed her arms over her stomach, squishing the hoodie against her and observing him as they moved closer. "Sans!" She called, smiling as he straightened up at their approach. He was grinning, as always, but he regarded her with half-lidded eyes before opening them fully.

"I'm thinking about going into the telescope business." He started, and Evelynne was brought back to their 'fried snow' exchange.

"I'd ask if you're lacking in a telescope as well, but obviously not." He chuckled. Good, he got the reference.

"It's normally fifty thousand G to use this premium telescope, but, uh, since I know you, you can use it for free." He said, looking over at Frisk. "Howzabout it?" Evelynne raised a brow. There was something slightly mischievous in his tone, and as Frisk shrugged and stepped up to the telescope, he looked up to Evelynne and winked. Frisk began maneuvering the telescope as Sans leaned back against the wall. "By the way...The Nice Cream guy moved his stall, if you're interested. Right through there." Sans pointed to the doorway beside him. He knew Frisk loved the Nice Cream, and Evelynne sighed as she reached down and untied the gold pouch from her belt. She'd consider it his treat, something else to owe him. Frisk pulled back from the telescope, looking over at Sans expectantly and pointed at the telescope. His grin grew just the slightest bit.

"Huh? You aren't satisfied? Don't worry, kid. I'll give you a full refund." Evelynne clicked her tongue at his joke, rolling her eyes despite her smile.

"Here, why don't you-" Frisk turned to Evelynne, looking up at her attentively with wide eyes. One of which had a big pink circle over it. Evelynne's hand shot up to her mouth. She didn't know what to do. Laugh? Turn away? Clean the ink off of her? Evelynne opted for none of the above, biting her lip and pushing forward the gold. "Go buy some Nice Cream from that nice man!" If it was hard for her not to laugh a second ago, now it was just painful. Her unintentional joke hadn't gone unnoticed, and Sans snickered from behind the child. "Take your time!" Frisk's face brightened immensely as she took the gold and ran, just in time for Evelynne to explode with laughter. She clutched at her chest, burning gasps causing coughs, but she couldn't stop herself.

"Hey, take it easy." Despite his own tame laughter, Sans placed a hand on her shoulder in concern. "That coughing sounds harsh." Evelynne waved him off, taking slow breaths to avoid another fit as she grinned.

"That was just too good. I mean, I've heard of pink eye, but-" A cough cut her off and she quickly covered her mouth again, rolling her eyes. "Forget it. Here." She stood straight up, using her free hand to push the hoodie in his direction. He eyed it for a moment, before chuckling and shoving his hands back into his pockets.

"Keep it."

...what?

"Sans, no." She insisted, pushing forward again, but he sidestepped away from her. They repeated this little dance four more times before they had gone in a circle, Sans laughing at her. She glared, but it quickly turned into a sigh of defeat. "Okay, fine." She mumbled, tying it around her waist by the sleeves. "I'll keep it. But I don't think I'll even need it." She tightened the knot before looking back up at his content grin. "Why are you so nice to us?" The question seemed to surprise him, sockets widening for a moment before returning to normal.

"Must be all the Nice Cream." She rolled her eyes.

"Do you even eat Nice Cream?"

"Nah. But I hear it's quite the _treat_." She groaned.

"Sans," her tone revealed her slight annoyance, but she didn't add anything else. Neither did he. They simply stood in silence, staring at each other as if trying to figure the other one out. He broke the silence first.

"Like what you see?" She was startled for a moment before she realized he was teasing her.

"I could ask you the same." She smiled at him, and immediately whatever tension was between them dissipated. He was good for that. It was like he knew exactly what to say to avert her attention.

The key weighed heavily in her pocket and she bit her lip guiltily. Maybe she could slip it into his pockets? It didn't like she'd find its use, anyway. They wouldn't be going back to Snowdin. She shouldn't have brought it with her. Maybe, if she could distract him...

"So...Papyrus told me you like science fiction?" He raised a brow, but nodded slightly. "I used to read science fiction books all the time, as a kid...but…" Evelynne chewed on her lip a bit, silently cursing out the hospital and its rules. She hadn't been allowed her books. The only books she had available was whatever they had in the rec room. The selection was awful, and she only had forty-five minutes at a time to read them. "I….I don't remember any of them...but I know I enjoyed them." Evelynne suddenly felt very awkward, and silence hung in the air before Sans grunted. That was a new sound from him.

"I mostly like the stuff about space. Seems pretty interesting." He leaned back against the wall, his features relaxing into his half-lidded lazy expression. Evelynne smiled thankfully to him. He was definitely throwing her a bo-

No.

"Yeah, space is pretty neat. It was my favorite thing to learn about, in my...classes." Her arms snaked back around her stomach in a more protective gesture. "I never really got to enjoy the night sky, for most of my life. So learning about it served as a substitute. We used to have a station on the TV that talked about nothing but the stars and other planets." Evelynne's voice had become softer, and she looked down at her boots. "It was hard to watch it where I lived, though. Too many distractions, too many people fighting over what channel to watch."

"Large family?" Evelynne stayed quiet for a moment. She didn't want to lie, but…

"You could say that, I guess," she muttered, before turning her face up toward the ceiling. "These minerals are pretty. The Wishing Room really was a sight to see. But...it's not like the stars. They shimmer and glow, sure, but real stars...real stars have this...life to them. This mysterious existence that's captivating. And the moon, you should see the moon...Do you know what the moon is?" She looked down at him to see him watching her carefully, the intense gaze back. He shrugged after a moment, but Evelynne saw through it. "It's almost like a giant star. I mean, not really. It's not made of gasses or anything. It's solid rock, just like earth. But it reflects light like the stars and it's just so…" Evelynne paused, a blush coloring her cheeks as she looked back at him. "..sorry. I just really miss the night sky." she sighed, shaking her head. "I had just gotten it back…" Evelynne turned and moved away from him like she always did after this sort of interaction. He probably thought she was so rude, talking to him about something he might not ever get to experience. What was she thinking?

"Tell me more." She froze, eyes wide from hearing his voice right behind her. She turned to see that he had walked along with her and stopped close, watching her intensely. She smiled nervously. He was so close to her.

"A-about what?" She didn't know if it was her tone of voice or her actions, but he seemed to realize his close proximity and stepped back. She squinted through the darkness at the color over his face. Was he...? No. The shadows must be casting color on his cheeks, right?

"About the stars." Evelynne stared blankly at him in response to his timid posture. His voice still sounded cool and collected, but he seemed to move deeper into his jacket, slouching slightly as he avoided her gaze.

"Uhm, well...I can't tell you very much about them, but…" she smiled, picturing them in her mind. "They're beautiful. Imagine the way the ceiling looks in the Wishing Room, but farther away. The specks are tinier, and spread apart, but….there are billions of them." Her voice had become slightly breathy. "You look at at the night sky and it's so...endless." Evelynne looked back up suddenly, taking in his relaxed grin. He was staring at her, as if taking in all the changes in her expressions as she talked.

"Sounds _astronomical_." Evelynne's lips twitched in response before she sighed.

"You could have done better."

"Sorry, I guess I didn't planet very well." That one was funny. Evelynne laughed loudly, shaking her head.

"Punny. You're quite the _comet_ -ian." She grinned.

"Yeah, I'm a real _star_." They both laughed loudly, Evelynne once again left pushing a hand against her chest as her laughter was cut short. The harsh breaths from laughing and coughing were definitely starting to hurt her lungs.

A tug on her clothes drew her attention, and Evelynne knew Frisk had returned and was ready to go without looking at her. Regardless, she smiled down at the happy child, Nice Cream cone in hand.

"We better start walking. Places to be, things to see." Evelynne rolled her eyes at her own rhyme. "See ya-"

"Actually, I'll walk with ya." Evelynne stopped, eyes widening in surprise before a soft smile formed. Her heart sped up just the slightest bit.

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, should be fun, right Frisk?" Frisk responded immediately with a hum of approval, but Evelynne could see slight apprehension in her gaze. Was she nervous about moving forward? All the better to have him travel with them. "Okay, let's go!"

* * *

Okay, let me know what you thought, and if Sans seemed OOC.

Since no one has had a chance to review, I'm going to take this opportunity to give a giant shout out to all you readers, favoriters, followers, and silent readers who are totally awesome! Thank you guys so much for your support! I hope you continue to like it! If there are any suggestions you have to improve the story or add some spice or whatever may be lacking, let me know and I'll consider it!

Also, if you find any mistakes, please let me know and I will fix it ASAP!

Finally, I'm considering turning my tumblr into something actually useful. Would anyone be interested in me posting about my schedule on occasion, such as letting you guys know on weeks where I can't write/when I'm starting a new chapter? I may also post polls on there (Which I'll link here) and I'll definitely be posting jokes because humor is life.  
Let me know what you think. Still new to tumblr haha.

THANKS FOR READING! Don't forget to leave a comment! I Love You All! SYANU!


	18. Marsh

**A/N:** Okay so I'm gonna tell you guys exactly what I told my followers on AO3. This chapter, in my opinion, sucks. I rewrote it like seven times, and couldn't find a good way to do it, so I stuck with this one. It's dialogue heavy, whereas usually I like to keep the meat between the dialogue. If you guys totally hate it, I'll take it down and start at the drawing board, but...I just want to move forward lol. Also...I wrote 1/4 of this version this morning, and the other 3/4 this afternoon...half of which I was drunk for. So...oh god just forgive me.

I hope someone enjoys something from this. I tried. Don't hate me :(

* * *

"Okay, I've got one." Evelynne said, grinning over at Sans. His eyes shined brighter as he met her gaze, mischievous expression mirroring hers. He had been walking with them for an hour, telling them jokes and keeping smiles on their faces. So far, the marsh had been quiet, and while Evelynne found that comforting, she also found it slightly eerie. The ghostly teal glow of the water bathed the marsh with shadows, and Evelynne found herself imagining movement in the darkness. Regardless, she felt confident with Sans around.

"Shoot."

"What did the pencil sharpener say to the pencil?" This one wasn't that good. In fact, it was one of the first puns she ever told her brother. But he had humored her, laughing hard and slapping his knee as he wheezed. So began their relationship built upon puns.

"What?"

"Quit going around in circles and get to the point!" She didn't expect a laugh, but he chuckled anyway. A warmth spread throughout her chest. His controlled laughter was deeper than his voice. It was a pleasant sound, and she was more than happy to have caused it.

"Gonna be honest here, that one was a little _dull_."

"You could almost say it was _pointless_." She shot back, and this time he snorted.

The marsh was huge, she'd come to realize. They'd passed by tons of paths they could have taken, but Sans assured them he knew the way. Despite this, Frisk had been determined to go down one path in particular, coming back with a scuffed pair of ballet shoes that she promptly shoved into the overpacked bag. Evelynne hadn't questioned it, choosing to move forward instead. She was certain that, without Sans, they would've been lost out here for hours. Instead, they were coming upon the end of the area. Evelynne could see a drop in lighting up ahead, and she realized they were approaching another hall.

"Where does that lead?" Evelynne asked, pointing forward. Sans followed her gaze lazily, shrugging.

"More water," he said simply, speaking as though there was nothing to be concerned with. Evelynne, however, found no comfort in this. He must have sensed her persistent discomfort, as he looked over at her and winked. "Hey, don't worry." It was such a simple statement, backed up with nothing to convince her. Yet, the carefree smile on his face and the playfulness of his tone left her feeling silly for being so concerned.

"Yeah...okay, Sans." Evelynne flashed him a genuine smile before tugging on her hand prompted her to look down. "Hmm? What's up?" She asked Frisk, observing her. It didn't take long to find her answer. Frisk's eyelids were drooping, her shoulders slouched and her feet dragging. They had been traveling for at least a day. Evelynne frowned, stopping as she looked on with concern. "You're tired, huh?" Frisk nodded, letting out a huge yawn. Evelynne looked up at Sans pleadingly. "Is there anywhere we can go that's safe?" There had to be something around, right? Or was there a good reason why it was so quiet, here?

"Nowhere close by, but it's probably safe enough to stop here." Evelynne looked around with a frown. Probably? She sighed, scanning the land in front of her.

"Ah, there! Come on." Evelynne pulled Frisk over to a large tree growing by the water. Beside it was an old bench, one of the few that were scattered around the area. Frisk clung to her hand as she was dragged along, practically sleeping while moving. Sans trailed behind them, watching as Evelynne removed his hoodie from around her waist and folded it before placing it on one end of the bench. She leaned down and unzipped her own hoodie from Frisk, laying it down across the wooden slabs. "There! More comfortable, yeah?" She asked, and Frisk didn't even nod before she climbed up on the make-shift bed, her head burying into the blue fabric. Evelynne smiled softly before lowering herself down onto the ground in front of the bench, feeling her own exhaustion settle into her limbs. She placed a hand on Frisk's back, rubbing soothingly. Just like he always had, when she was a kid.

"Is she your sister?" Evelynne looked over her shoulder at the skeleton, taking only a moment to observe that he had already made himself comfortable at the base of the tree. She removed her gaze and returned it to Frisk. She had no reason to lie to him, too.

"No. I didn't know her before we fell down here, actually." She moved her hand up to brush through Frisk's slightly knotted hair. She'd forgotten to look for a comb.

"You seem very protective of her." She shrugged.

"You're protective of Papyrus."

"He's my brother." Evelynne smiled, carefully pulling at a stubborn knot in Frisk's soft brown hair. Frisk hummed in appreciation at the gentle tugging, turning slightly to give her more access.

"But I bet you'd be a little less protective if he wasn't so innocent." Silence met her statement, and she assumed that meant the conversation was over. Quietly and carefully, she finished her work on Frisk's hair, running her fingers through a few more times to check that she hadn't missed any knots. Frisk had fallen asleep, and Evelynne felt herself calming as well. She yawned as she sat back on her legs, watching the sleeping child for a while. Frisk always looked so peaceful in her sleep, lips parted and expression innocent. She slept soundlessly and still, the only movement being the light rise and fall of her body with every breath she took. Once again, the question of why Frisk was on that mountain popped up in her mind, causing a frown to tug at the corners of her lips. Eventually, she'd have to ask that question. But not now. Not until they got through the Underground.

Evelynne pushed herself around, placing her back against the bench as she looked up at Sans. He was watching her with those analytical eyes. She could tell by the brightness of the lights, or how sharp or soft it was, what he was generally feeling. Whenever he observed something or talked about something serious, his eyes were bright and sharp, as if taking in everything around him. They had been that way a lot, she'd noticed. It reminded her of the looks she'd get in the hospital, when he did that. She didn't like it. It added to the mystery of him, as well. The more time she spent with him, the more confused she became. Was he just a jokester? Some lazy skeleton who did nothing but sit around, tell jokes, drink ketchup, and sleep? He seemed adamant to make that his norm. But...maybe there was something deeper to him. Maybe there was another side to him. His real personality. And maybe...maybe there was a reason he didn't show it. Evelynne found herself meeting his gaze unwaveringly, likely giving him the same look he was giving her.

"Sans?" She started, her voice merely a whisper.

"Hmm?" She pulled her legs up as she sat back, wrapping her arms around her stomach. Her back ached more in this new position, but she ignored the pain. There weren't many better options.

"When we were in Grillby's, you said that you had questions," she stated, looking up at him again. "What were they?" He stared at her, silent for a while before his eyes closed and he chuckled.

"Didn't think you'd remember that." He brought a hand up to scratch at the back of his skull, and Evelynne raised an eyebrow at this action. Was that some sort of nervous habit? "I do have a few."

"Now's a good time to ask."

"Well then," he opened his eyes, and Evelynne gasped softly. A chill ran up her spine at the sight of his empty sockets. "Mind telling me how you stopped my magic?" Evelynne blinked dumbly at him, caught off-guard by the question.

"Your magic? So that really is what it was...on the bridge? and your short-cut?" Evelynne rolled forward, now seated on her knees. He raised an eyebrow at her, his pupils slowly fading in.

"You...didn't know?"

"I had an idea," she muttered, looking down at her hands as they rested in her lap. "but...no. I wasn't certain." She looked back up, observing his curious gaze. "I mean, I knew it was magic, I suppose. I just...didn't know if it was yours...or something else...I'm not used to other magic, so my magic just-"

"Your magic?" His eye sockets were open fully now, his eyebrows arched upwards in an expression of shock that lasted only a moment before turning into something entirely unreadable. Evelynne bit her lip, looking back down.

"Uhm, yeah. Weird, right?" She said, laughing nervously. "I mean, I know your history talks about human mages and everything, so maybe not. Do you….do monsters think all humans have magic?"

"It's common knowledge most humans don't." He spoke tensely. She swallowed anxiously, her heart beating rapidly. He didn't sound all that happy with the information.

"Oh." She took a deep, shuddering breath, closing her eyes. "Well, it's rare," she mumbled, letting that information hang in the silence. She chewed her lip mercilessly, waiting for him to say something. The taste of copper filled her mouth, and she suppressed a huff of annoyance as her lip stung. She'd cut it open, again.

Minutes of silence passed before she heard rustling in front of her, and she looked up hesitantly to see Sans standing in front of her. She gasped at the sight of his left eye glowing blue in the shape of an iris, just like in her nightmare.

"What are you doing?" She whispered harshly, scooting back from him until she felt her back brush against the wood of the bench. Sans shrugged, his hands still in his pockets and his expression unreadable.

"Testing something." He stepped closer to her, and she watched with apprehension as he pulled his left hand out of his pocket and held it out for her to take. She stared at it for a moment before looking back up at him questioningly.

"I'm...not sure that's a good idea." She said, keeping both hands firmly planted against the ground.

"Do you trust me?" Evelynne felt her brows furrow automatically at his question, and she looked back down at his hand. She did trust him, but nothing good had come from her magic. She looked back up determination in her gaze.

"Not so close to Frisk. I don't...I don't know what will happen." Slowly, he drew his hand back, the blue fading and his pupils returning as he looked at her with confusion. She already knew what question was on his mind. "I...don't have control of my magic. As I said, it's rare. So rare that I...was sent away…" Evelynne cleared her throat as her voice cracked, blinking away tears and turning her face downward. "No one knew how to help me, and I would try to keep it inside, but...that never ended well either." She sighed, her hands balling into fists and releasing. "I...don't like it. It's terrifying. I've hurt people before, and myself. I don't want to hurt anyone else." She laughed, closing her eyes. "Honestly, I'd much rather not have this cursed power," she said bitterly. After a moment, she heard a sigh and movement beside her. She opened her eyes to stare in shock at Sans, who had seated himself beside her with his back leaning against the bench. He watched her out of the corner of his eyes.

"Hey, magic isn't all that bad," he said, and Evelynne shook her head.

"Yeah, sure. For you. It's a part of you. You're probably born with control over it," she muttered, pulling her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and hung her head, forehead resting lightly on her knees.

"I could help ya." Evelynne rolled her eyes, despite the fact that he couldn't see it.

"I don't think so," she said bitterly, her voice muffled slightly.

"I don't know where you get your information from, human, but monsters have to learn to control their magic too." Silence. She sighed. "Let me ask you something." he finally said, and Evelynne turned her head slightly to indicate that she was listening. "How old were you, when your magic first showed up?" Evelynne picked her head up, looking at him interest.

"Around ten. Why?"

"Did things start floating? Combusting? Did you feel a surge of energy every time?" Evelynne's lips parted in her shock as he began naming the symptoms she had shown. She could remember each instance as he named them. The TV exploding...the doll flying across the room..."When you got angry, was it violent? Were there days you felt like you were burning from the inside out?"

"Okay!" Evelynne cut him off, before immediately slapping a hand over her mouth and looking back at Frisk. Her outburst didn't seem to bother the child, however, as Frisk simply turned away from them in her sleep. Evelynne sighed in relief. "Okay, fine. Yes. All those things happened. Some of them...they still do," she whispered, defeated. It was only three months ago now that she had been left a sobbing mess in her tent, clutching at her chest and stomach as the magic burned in her veins like lava.

"I don't know much about humans, but teaching you how to use your powers shouldn't be much different than teaching Papyrus." He sounded so sure, and Evelynne felt hope rise at his words. But, of course, it didn't last. She frowned.

"It's nice of you to offer, Sans, but...I don't think we'll be down here long enough for you to help me, and...I'm not sure if…" Evelynne paused. She didn't know if she'd survive this journey. They hadn't even met that Asgore monster yet. She never finished her thought, sitting quietly as the thoughts of dying invaded her thoughts. Would Frisk make it, if she didn't? Would Undyne or Asgore absorb her soul? Would she know it?

Would it hurt?

"What's your name?" Evelynne was ripped from her thoughts by his question. She looked up at him, meeting his gaze. She hadn't told anyone her name, had she? Nor had Frisk. Papyrus seemed content calling them humans and Sans...he never really addressed them. Occasionally, he'd call Frisk 'kid' or 'kiddo,' but it was rare. Regardless, she saw no harm in sharing her name with him or Papyrus. They had proven to be wonderful people….monsters…

Friends.

"It's Evelynne. A lot of people call me Eve, for short," She said, shrugging. She didn't mind the nickname, but she much more preferred what her brother called her-

"How about Ev?" Her eyes shot up to meet his, and a smile instantly broke out on her face.

"Yeah...I like that better," she whispered, smiling down at the ground. Her favorite nickname...it was close. Almost...intimate. Like a secret. She had always felt more mature and more loved, when called by that name. It was different. Evelynne looked back up at Sans, smiling. "Only one other person calls me Ev," she admitted in a whisper, and she knew she wouldn't have to elaborate.

Instead, he looked forward, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the bench. "Get some rest, Ev."

And she fell asleep, feeling relaxed and safe with Sans so close.

* * *

Okay...yeah...so...anyway...ugh...

Let me know what you thought, I guess...I mean, definitely, but...ugh.

Shout-outs to people who are awesome, unlike me~

Huge shout-outs of course to my new followers and favoriters. You guys are amazing and I'm so glad you like the story enough to keep reading it (we'll see after this one, huh?"

And an even bigger shout out to these wonderful reviewers! - **WandererRaen, Midnightsalem, Devinely, Angel of Randomosity, gwendolyn-sama, The Random Guest, A Non Moose** (is that a pun?), **AdamasintheRough,** and **longagonever**. Seriously, you guys are awesome. I love reading your reviews. Here are some answers:

Evelyn's magic only has shown up, if you noticed, when she's absolutely needed it/in a life or death situation. That being said, I do have plans for it, don't worry. It wasn't a one and done.

I'll love any artwork I'm given :) Really, I'm truly honored that people even THINK about doing art for my stories. Because, honestly, I don't think I'm that good of a writer. Like, at all. Haha.

Please, when telling me a character is OOC, give me an example! To me, it's as IC as I can imagine, so really being told straight out "Sans was OOC because he asked this in this way-" is very helpful for me for the future! Feel free to pm me! I appreciate the honesty!

Finally, I can't post clickable links. I think it's an ffnet thing. But if you type in tumblr dot com / blog / ke-hlf-music, that should send you straight to me blog. Otherwise, I think I was able to post my link in my ao3 update, so just head over there and click on it in ch 18.

Also, 18 chapters holy hell what ever.

THANK YOU ALL for reading. I love you all, and your amazing support. I have a LOT due next week...but I'm going to try and update once a week...anyway...SYANU!


	19. Memory

**A/N:** Ooookay. Two chapters in one weekend, AND I got a good deal of work done. No practicing, but whatever. Not like I have a recital in two months.

This chapter was a LOT easier to write than the last one. I hope it's good, and that you enjoy it!

Also, sorry for those who wanted cuddles!

* * *

How could he think a note would be acceptable? Was he mad at her? Evelynne clutched the piece of paper in her hand as they walked forward, anger coursing through her. She had woken up to an empty space beside her, a piece of paper with sloppy scribbling on it lying in the spot Sans had previously occupied. One sentence had been hastily written.

 _Eye will  see ya later._

No explanation, no apology, no indication of when later actually was. Evelynne was furious. What if a monster had come by and decided to attack them? She sighed, shoving the note into the pocket of his hoodie before bringing her hand up to rest lightly on her forehead. She had slept pretty well, with no nightmares or even dreams. Regardless, she still woke with a headache.

She wasn't sad that he had gone. After the conversation they had, Evelynne was thankful for a chance to be away from him. She wanted to think, and breathe. Nothing made sense anymore. It felt like she was walking through a dream, meeting impossible creatures and forming impossible bonds. Who was Sans and Papyrus? Toriel? Why would they trust her?

Monster souls were supposedly made up of compassion and love. But were they really so pure? Was Papyrus really that innocent? Toriel really so loving? Evelynne sighed heavily. Everything here only had one explanation. Magic. It was all magic. Their souls were magic, their abilities were magic, their bodies were magic….the snow, the water, the flowers, all magic. She hadn't even seen the entirety of the Underground yet, and she was already exhausted from it.

The worst part was that Evelynne liked it. She enjoyed the thought that magic can create such beautiful things and wonderful people. She wanted to believe that it wasn't this awful curse, but a gift. She could feel the pulsing of her old scars reminding her of all the bad memories she had and all the pain she'd felt. Maybe her magic was incapable of doing good. Maybe human magic was just meant to destroy.

Evelynne moved with heavy steps and sagged shoulders, finally leaving her thoughts in favor of taking in their surroundings. With Undyne around, she couldn't afford to get lost in thought anymore. And now, with Sans gone…

"Mmm!" Evelynne jolted at the sudden yank of her hand, looking down at Frisk with confusion. Annoyance flashed across her expression for only a moment, though she quickly brushed it aside. Wouldn't it be easier for the kid to just say what was happening?

"What? What's wrong?" Frisk pointed to her left, and Evelynne followed her gaze to find…

A yellow...tentacle…?

Evelynne stared, dumbstruck for a moment as it rose from the water. She blinked, expecting it to disappear. But it never did. It just...stayed.

"U-uhh, yeah, okay. So...what do we do, about that?" Evelynne asked, looking down at Frisk as she shrugged. It seemed that Frisk didn't have all of the answers. "Do we just...I mean...let's...keep going." She finally said, looking over at the tentacle tentatively. It was almost a neon color, shiny from the water reflecting the light of the lamps and giving it a slimy look. Suction cups lined the appendage in two rows, growing in size as it traveled down toward the water. Evelynne shivered, willing herself to move forward despite the sudden chill that began crawling up her spine. They moved slowly, hoping not to disturb whatever creature was on the other end. Much to her displeasure, the tentacle seemed to follow them for a while, until suddenly Frisk stopped, turning toward the water. Evelynne didn't want to stop. She wanted to run. She opened her mouth to express her opinion when movement in the water caught her eye. Turning, her jaw dropped immediately as a giant, round thing with a….horn? started to rise out of the water. Evelynne felt nausea rush through her as fear gripped her, and she took a step back, gasping. Whatever it was, it was huge, and three more tentacles rose from the water faster than it's head. But soon, Evelynne was met with the horrifying sight of…

Huge, oval eyes, pink-tinged cheeks, and a huge smile.

She was completely floored. It looked like some creature straight out of an anime from her childhood. Their eyes sparkled with joy as their tentacles waved at them.

"Hey...there...Noticed you were...here," it said timidly. Evelynne's shocked expression stayed frozen on her face for a while, the silence stretching out. It didn't speak again, as if waiting for them to give it permission. Forcing her face to work, her mouth opened and closed several times before her voice would work.

"Uhm, yeah. Here we are," she replied with equal awkwardness. Suddenly, the monster brightened up, looking less timid and more...well, more like an overenthusiastic anime character. It only served to make Evelynne feel a little less comfortable.

"I'm Onionsan!" It shouted, and she grimaced at the shrill voice. Suddenly, Papyrus's shouting wasn't all that bad. "Onionsan, y'hear!" Evelynne winced, looking down at Frisk. Her head pounded in response to the voice, and Frisk looked up with an equal amount of discomfort on her face. Forcing a small smile, Evelynne looked back over at the monster.

"Uh, yeah, I hear you. Hi Onionsan. I'm-"

"You're visiting Waterfall, huh?" Evelynne huffed at being cut off, but quickly brushed the feeling aside. They didn't seem to be intentionally rude. In fact, Onionsan seemed disturbingly ecstatic to be speaking to them. "It's great here, huh? You love it, huh?" Frisk was pulling on her hand by the time Onionsan paused for a response.

"Uh, yeah. We're, uh, gonna go see more of it," Evelynne said, pointing in the direction they were headed. She had hoped it would dismiss them from the conversation, but Onionsan floated with them as they walked.

"Yeah! I love Waterfall! It's my big favorite! Even though…" Onionsan ducked under the water until they could no longer see his….her….its eyes. "The water's getting so shallow here." Its voice was back to sounding timid, and a bit...garbled from the water. It would have been hilarious, if Evelynne could find it in herself to have a sense of humor, now. "I have to sit down all the time, but…" Onionsan popped back up, smile back on its face. "H-hey! That's okay! It beats moving to the city! And living in a crowded aquarium! Like all my friends did!" Evelynne felt the heaviness in her chest again as she looked over at Onionsan, who had returned to hiding under the water again. "And the aquarium's full, a-anyway, so even if I wanted to, I…" Onionsan trailed off, and Evelynne suddenly stopped moving, her expression one of sadness. No wonder this monster was so ecstatic to be speaking to them. Did anyone ever come through here? "That's okay, though, y'hear! Undyne's gonna fix everything, y'hear!" Evelynne tensed at the mention of Undyne, but didn't respond. "I'm gonna get out of here and live in the ocean, y'hear!" Evelynne looked away from Onionsan to Frisk, who was looking up at her questioningly.

It wasn't right. None of it was right. Why did humans get to live on the surface, while the monsters had to suffer Underground? She could recall one of the Snowdin residents, a mouse in a giant scarf, telling her about overcrowding, hopelessness, the dwindling resources, and now a giant onion monster was telling her the water was getting shallow. They were using too much space, too many resources, and Evelynne could only hope they'd have a way to fix that problem on their own.

They would, right? Magic can do something for them, right? She doubted it.

"I hope you do, Onionsan," Evelynne finally said, looking over at the monster with a genuine smile. "I've heard the ocean is huge and beautiful. You'd be really happy there."

"I will! As soon as Undyne gets the last soul!" Onionsan cheered, and Evelynne felt her smile turn bitter.

"Yeah…" She gripped Frisk's hand tightly, suddenly taking the lead as they continued walking. Onionsan didn't say anything else while following them until they were finally leaving the area.

"Hey...there...that's the end of this room," Onionsan pointed out, looking a little sad.

"We have to go. But we'll see you again," Evelynne said, smiling. They returned her smile, looking thrilled at the promise of a future interaction.

"I'll see you around! Have a good time! In Waterfall!" Onionsan dragged out the name of the region, slowly sinking back down into the water as all but one waving tentacle disappeared. Evelynne sighed, and Frisk walked quietly just behind her.

"They'll die here, won't they?" Evelynne asked, letting go of Frisk's hand as they meandered forward. Frisk looked up with concern, but still didn't say anything. "We have to help them, somehow." She sighed, hanging her head a bit and staring at her boots. They were covered with splotches of mud and pieces of blue, spongy moss that had been in the marsh, but otherwise were holding up well. She was glad she wouldn't have to worry about her shoes surviving their journey. The last thing was wanted was to walk barefoot through the Underground.

Evelynne's gaze shot up at the sound of a sudden, startled squeal. Her eyes immediately fell upon a startled looking...seahorse? Another one? No. Slug? Maybe? What even...She couldn't find a definite face, no matter what it actually was. She could see, however, that it was shaking in terror.

"Uh, hey. Are you alright?" Evelynne asked gently, moving forward to try and get a better look. But the monster simply cried out, pressing itself into the wall and effectively cornering itself. She was immediately reminded of Whimsum, and her heart ached. "Oh, you poor thing! Don't worry, we won't hurt you." Still, the creature shook and whined, and Evelynne sighed. What could she do? Then, as if finally remembering the rest of their trip, she looked down at Frisk expectantly. "Well? You seem to do well with them." She whispered, referring to all of the other monsters they'd passed. Frisk nodded, stepping forward, and hummed at them. It wasn't a hum for attention, but a song. One that Evelynne felt vague familiarity for.

Much to Evelynne's surprise, the creatures shaking had lessened tremendously, and as Frisk continued humming, they seemed to be listening closely. Evelynne watched with wonder as what looked to be a curtain of seaweed-esque hair was swept aside just enough for an eye to peek out. So, it did have a face. She took a step back to lean against the wall as it began humming back, and the two began their own mini-concert.

"Shyren is pretty _shy_ , huh?" Evelynne jumped, the deep voice sounding right beside her ear causing her heart to skip a beat. She turned around to glare at Sans, expecting nothing short of his lazy grin.

"What are you doing? You could've given me a heart attack!" She scolded in a whisper, not wanting to disturb Frisk and...Shyren?

"Just _skull_ king around, thought I'd say hi," he responded, shrugging his shoulders. Evelynne felt her glare melt just for a moment before it returned full force.

"You could've given me some time to stop being mad at you, at least," she mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. That seemed to catch his attention, and both his brows shot up in a look of mild surprise.

"Mad at me?"

"You left us while we were sleeping, with no explanation. Yeah, I'm mad. What if something happened, Sans?" She seethed, looking over her shoulder at the giggling child. "What if we were attacked? The only reason I fell asleep was because you were there. You could have woken me." She sighed, closing her eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to Frisk," she said firmly. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see what looked to be an apologetic expression.

"Sorry." She had the feeling he wasn't very sorry. At least, he didn't sound like it. But at least he tried. She had half-expected him to make a joke.

"It's...okay, I guess. I mean, I was _bone_ tired." His expression shifted as he chuckled at her joke, and she smiled. "Why did you leave, anyway?"

"Pap called. He needed me home for something." he shrugged again, and Evelynne suddenly felt pretty dumb. She could have just called Papyrus, instead of getting so worked up.

"Oh." She turned so her back was against the wall, looking over at Frisk and Shyren. They were humming together, and a few monsters had began collecting around the room to listen. They sounded really good, with Frisk still singing that familiar tune and Shyren making up harmonies on the spot. Evelynne still felt the slightest bit anxious at all these new monsters. She'd not met any of them yet, except for Aaron. But...he seemed to be staring at Shyren pretty intensely. Still, she feared someone would recognize them as humans.

"I brought something for you." Evelynne turned her attention back toward the skeleton, observing the large brown bag in his hand. Had he been holding that, a moment ago? She hesitantly took it, shocked at the warmth. Opening the top, she peeked inside to see two round, wrapped shapes surrounded by fries.

"Grillby's? You brought us food?" He shrugged in response, and Evelynne smiled. "Thank you so much!" She closed the bag and carefully stepped forward, bringing her arms up to wrap around his neck in a hug. This time, however, she didn't pull back immediately. She felt him tense beneath her, but she held him tightly. "It means a lot, really. You've been so kind to us." She could feel the texture of his neck and skull bones beneath her skin, feeling rough and firm. He wasn't sharp, as she'd anticipated the edge of his bones to be. Instead, they rounded off like his fingers. She would have been more focused on figuring this oddity out if it weren't for the hum she could hear and feel on him. It was a soft sound, and only a slight vibration to the touch. But Evelynne could identify it immediately.

Magic.

Finally, she pulled back, only a little disappointed that he didn't return it. He didn't really know her, afterall. Why would he hug her back? Still, she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like.

"Don't mention it." He was avoiding her gaze, but otherwise looked fine. "I, uh, talked to Grillby about possibly hiring you, ya know," he added, looking back at her gasp to observe her expression of shock. "If you end up staying down here, he'd hire you." Evelynne stared in disbelief. She'd forgotten all about his promise to help her, since he'd gifted her the gold.

"Oh...I-I...don't know what to say, Sans," she stammered, completely overwhelmed with his kindness. She felt tears burning in her eyes as she looked down at the brown bag in her hands.

"Hey, are you alright?" Evelynne let out a quiet, watery laugh.

"Yeah, I'm just….thank you, Sans. So much." She looked up at him and gave him a bright smile, despite the tears escaping from her eyes. He looked confused, but didn't push her further as she wiped the tears from her face. Clapping could be heard from across the room, and both looked over to find the monsters in the area clapping in the direction of Frisk and Shyren, who both bowed. "I guess they're done. That drew more attention than I thought it would." She turned back to him, smile falling at the sight of his contemplative expression. "U-uhm...do you want to join us? For lunch?" She asked, holding up the bag. His grin looked strained. It was a smooth curve that was tense at the corners, the arch seeming artificial.

"Nah. I've got work. Don't wanna miss my break time," he said, winking at her. She gave him a breathy laugh in response, looking over at Frisk as she felt the child grab her hand. "But, uh, maybe some other time." Evelynne nodded in agreement.

"I'll hold you to that!" She grinned. "See ya later?" The question was timid, but he nodded.

"Yeah, see ya." Hands in his pockets and strained grin on his face, he turned and walked down the path towards Onionsan. With a sigh, Evelynne looked down at the concerned gaze of Frisk.

"Have fun? He brought us Grillby's. Wasn't that nice?" Frisk nodded in response, looking happy as their stomach growled. Evelynne giggled. "I take it you want to eat now. Come on, let's find someplace to sit."

Frisk and Evelynne found a quiet room to the north, occupied by a single old piano. It was mostly dry here, and the two sat and ate their lunch undisturbed. They weren't surprised to find a handful of empty ketchup packets in the bag. With the burgers and fries eaten, and both humans feeling full and content, they forced themselves to their feet to continue their journey. There was only one other direction to go in, and Evelynne was more than relieved. She didn't want to get lost in this place. It was hard enough to see. She held onto Frisk's hand tightly as it seemed to get even darker. So dark that she almost missed the plaques on the walls that had been giving her historical information throughout their journey. She squinted through the darkness, desperately trying to read.

"I can't see what it says," she huffed, impatience in her tone. Ever the little smart one, Frisk pulled the phone out and turned it on, the screen glowing so brightly that it nearly hurt her eyes. "Oh! Frisk, you're so smart!" Frisk smiled up at her and handed over the phone.

The plaques talked about monster souls, and Evelynne frowned at the news that monster souls disappeared immediately. So those people who thought they saw ghosts all the time may not have been wrong? Did that mean humans really could live on indefinitely after death? The more she read about monster history, the more confused she became. Part of her was terrified. It didn't all make sense. It seemed almost impossible!

What happened to a monster, after death? They just blinked out of existence? Their soul, their consciousness, their history? It just stopped meaning something? Evelyne shuddered. She had been taught early on about heaven and hell. She wasn't religious by any stretch of the imagination, but she had always held onto the hope that there was something. She'd die, and her soul and consciousness would travel to some place nice. Some place where her magic wouldn't follow her, and maybe she'd see her brother eventually and get to spend eternity with him, telling jokes and watching cartoons. She knew it wouldn't happen, but it made life seem a little less...pointless. But the knowledge that your soul just disappears? How could they live with that? Is that why they didn't have as much determination as humans? How could you feel determined, knowing you'd just disappear after you die?

"Mm!" Evelynne looked up at Frisk's sound, freezing as something sat in front of them far down the hallway. A single ray of light was shining down, and Evelynne squinted to see who was under it. A monster? Undyne?

"What is it? I can't see." Evelynne asked quietly, but Frisk just pulled her forward. As they continued down the hallway, the object didn't move. In fact, the closer they got, the more apparent it became that it was just a statue, and Evelynne laughed at herself, holding a hand over her heart. "Geez, Frisk. I thought maybe Undyne was down here." Evelynne walked closer, looking at the old broken thing. It had crumbled, the base now nothing but rubble. It looked like some sort of horned figure, but it was so old and damaged that she couldn't make it out. Water fell from above like rain, landing only on the statue, and she frowned. "Well, this is a sad thing, isn't it?" She asked Frisk, wishing she had some way to move it out from under the rain. Though it was just a statue, she still felt a strange sadness for it. "Who do you think the statue was made for?" She asked softly, moving forward to run a hand over the horns. She stopped short of contact, however, when she heard sniffling to her right. Looking down, she was alarmed at the sight of tears. "Frisk? Frisk, what's wrong?" She kneeled down and turned Frisk toward her, watching with concern as fat tears rolled down her scrunched face. Instead of answering her, Frisk only hiccupped and cried shook her head. "Hey, stop that. I know it's sad," she paused. The statue really was sad. It looked lonely and broken No one had come to care for it in years, it seemed. "But maybe we can do something about it, yeah?" She placed her hands on Frisk's cheeks, swiping away tears with her thumbs as Frisk observed her through watery hazel eyes. "We'll find a jacket, or something, and stop the rain. That'll be better, right?" The tears slowed as Evelynne smiled at her, and Frisk nodded, forcing a smile back before rushing forward and throwing her arms around Evelynne's neck. Evelynne held on tightly, rubbing her back. "I promise. We'll do that. But we have to find something first." Frisk pulled back then, smiling wide and taking hold of Evelynne's hand. The woman didn't even have time to fully get to her feet before Frisk was pulling her forward

As always, Frisk seemed to know exactly what to expect. But Evelynne didn't, so seeing the rainy caverns ahead and a bucket of umbrellas surprised her. She examined the sign. "Please take one." She muttered, looking back down at the bucket. "These are...convenient." She said, watching as Frisk drew one out and pointed back down the path. She didn't argue, turning and walking back to the statue. Frisk handed Evelynne the umbrella, and she opened it, musing about superstitions as she lifted it to the statue. The umbrella seemed big enough that it could rest on the horns of the statue, and Evelynne carefully placed it on top, as if afraid the stone would crumble to dust.

She was rewarded with a gentle tinkling sound.

"What is…" she listened, the haunting melody playing over and over. Frisk was silent beside her, smiling sadly at the statue. A music box. It had a music box inside of it. Evelynne wanted to sit down and listen to it forever, the melody sweet and sad and making her feel both lonely and warm at the same time. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, listening as it filled the silence and echoed in the hall. By the time Frisk was tapping her elbow, she was sure she could hum the entire melody by memory. She'd fallen in love with the sound. "You know," she started, not yet turning to look at Frisk. "My mother used to have a music box. When I couldn't fall asleep, she set it up to play in my room. I felt so...loved, when she'd do that. It was her favorite jewelry box that played it. A little tune from a ballet she liked when she was a kid." Evelynne looked away from the statue and back down the hallway. "She was really mad when I accidently broke it. That was the last time I ever heard a real music box."

"They're pretty," Frisk offered, and Evelynne looked down with a smile.

"Yeah, they're beautiful. Come on. Let's keep going." Evelynne held her hand out for Frisk, who took it happily. She sent one last look to the statue, trying not to feel too sad about leaving it behind. She have to come back, one day. She'd need to visit Onionsan, and then spend a day with the music box. Then, she'd go back to Snowdin to play with Papyrus and go to Grillby's with Sans. He'd tell puns, Papyrus would yell, and she would laugh and shoot one right back to him. Then she'd go back to the ruins and make Toriel give her a hug, and ask her to bake a pie for her and her wonderful friends.

Evelynne smiled at the thought. It was impossible, but...it was a nice thought. It was nice to think she could keep her promises, and her friends. It was a nice lie to tell herself. She squeezed Frisk's hand, putting on a ghost of a smile before leading the way forward.

* * *

There will be cuddles. Eventually. I promise. I wanted them too, lol.

But ya know. Sans has a lot on his mind, recently ;)

So anyway, thanks to those of you who left comments and made me feel better about the last chapter: **longagonever, Angel of Randomosity,** and **WandererRaen.** It means a lot to me that you took the time to review!

And dear longagonever, don't feel bad! Your feedback is important to me! If you have me on tumblr and don't feel comfortable with public messages, feel free sending me a pm! ^.^ I'll respond asap! But as for the blushing...well, it was just the lighting of the room, right? ;) hehe. I'm actually in the bandwagon with you, but I took a leap there! Hope it didn't detract from the story too much!

THANK you all for reading my story, and I hope you remember to drop a review an tell me what you like/didn't like, or what you want to see if the future! ILYA, and SYANU!


	20. Darkness

**A/N:** So tired. So cold. Seriously it's too cold. So I wasn't going to update this week because I had an absurd amount of work to do...but I really can't stop thinking about this story. Also, I'm taking pills to help me sleep now, so now more late at night updates or additions...not sure how that's gonna effect everything...I'm iffy on this chapter, so please let me know what you think, and if I should edit it, as always. Your feedback is loved and appreciated!

Enjoy!

 **Edit** : Changed some stuff and added some stuff. Hopefully made the stuff better stuff.

* * *

"So, one time we had a school project where we had to take care of a flower." Evelynne sighed, eyes fluttering shut momentarily in annoyance. The kid was nice and cute, but he never stopped talking. Evelynne pulled the hood tighter over her head, sighing sadly as she realized the hoodie was completely soaked. Frisk and the monster kid were sharing their umbrella, seeing as all three couldn't fit under it. Frisk and Evelynne had been walking in silence for ten minutes, dry and happy, before finding the kid. Ten more minutes later, and Evelynne was soaked and cold once more. She felt like she'd turn to ice, at this rate. "The king - we had to call him "Mr. Dreemurr" - volunteered to donate his own flowers."

"That was very nice of him," Evelynne muttered, trying to sound more cheerful than she felt. Her headache had gotten worse, and she was having difficulty keeping her frustration out of her voice. Sure, it wasn't the kid's fault. But he was the one here, at the moment. Frisk had, of course, been silent the entire time, but the kid had decided to walk between them, and Evelynne's hand currently hung empty at her side. It just didn't feel right.

"Yeah! He ended up coming to school and teaching the class about responsibility and stuff."

"A lot of people love the king," Evelynne slipped in, hoping to get information without making it obvious that they didn't know anything. It was true, anyway. Most of the monsters in Snowdin mentioned the king in positive contexts. Even Papyrus had called him a big fuzzy pushover.

If the kid was at all suspicious, he didn't show it. "Yeah, mom and dad talk about him all the time!"

"Oh yeah? What do they say?"

"That he's going to get us all to the surface! Anyways, that got me thinking, yo! How cool would it be if Undyne came to the school!" Evelynne rolled her eyes, bringing up a wet hand to rub at her temples. "She could beat up all the teachers!" Flinching, she looked down at him with horror. Would she really do that? How could someone like that be a celebrated hero? "Um, maybe she wouldn't beat up the teachers…" he continued, and she rolled her eyes, letting out a relieved sigh. "She's too cool to ever hurt an innocent person!" Evelynne grimaced, glancing at Frisk. They were innocent, weren't they? They'd done nothing wrong to the monsters, even when attacked. Would Undyne listen, if she was told of their innocence? Would she give them even the slightest chance? She briefly considered calling Papyrus, but quickly decided it was a bad idea. After all, why should he have to fight their battle? She didn't want to ruin his life, just in case this Undyne woman ended up being a real psycho.

They soon passed an exit in the hallway, the cavern opening up to something Evelynne hadn't quite been expecting. The rain has stopped, and she flipped her hood down to get a better look, jaw hanging slack. The cavern was dark, save for lights in the distance and crystals on the ceiling that were much larger than those in the wishing room. Here, they really had a fighting chance at passing as blue stars. In the distance, though, was the real attraction. A huge castle, with lights shining through the windows. It was far enough away that Evelynne couldn't see anyone outside or around it, but the castle alone was overwhelming. She could just start to see the tops of other buildings as well, but they were mostly hidden by the rocks jutting up from the floor. Still, bursts of light shined upwards, further illuminating the huge structure.

"Wow," Evelynne breathed, looking over to see Frisk taking in the same view with a blank expression. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Frisk looked up with a smile, but something just seemed so...off, about it. It was tense.

"That's the kings castle! In the Capitol!" The kid explained, taking in the view as well. "He's usually never there. Dad says he's always out visiting everyone in the city!"

"Sounds like a pretty nice guy," Evelynne muttered, frowning. This was the same guy Toriel had warned them of, right? Sounded like Undyne was the real threat. Perhaps Toriel just had the wrong information? Or...maybe she lied...

"Yeah! But he's not as cool as Undyne, though!" Evelynne sighed, trying to resist the urge to ditch the kid like they did Jerry. She shuddered at her thoughts. Thank god they hadn't seen that guy again.

"Yeah, sure. Come on, let's keep going." She said, continuing forward on the path with the kids walking just behind her in sweet, sweet silence. Eventually, the three found their way back into another closed hall, relieved to find no more rain. A silver bin of umbrellas sat at the entrance, and Frisk quickly returned theirs.

The new hallway was long and quiet, just as the rest had been. However, this hall had an obstacle. Evelynne stared at the ledge with exasperation, her body already protesting.

"Yo! This ledge is way too steep!"

"Is there another way around?" Evelynne asked, hopeful that the tiny monster knew his way through the region.

"I don't know…" She sighed, moving forward and glaring at the ledge. It was just a little taller than she was. For anyone even mildly athletic, it would be no problem. "Hmm..Yo, you wanna see Undyne, right? Climb on my shoulders!" Evelynne resisted the urge to correct him. No. No they did not want to see Undyne. They just wanted to get home, and the only way out was forward. Instead, she bit her lip and shook her head.

"Kid, if I stood on your shoulders, I would crush you. I'll have to climb up." Evelynne moved forward, reaching up with both arms and feeling around the top of the ledge for something to grab onto. As expected, nothing was within her grasp. She sighed, digging her fingers into the ground. This would have to be pure upper body strength. Which she had none of. As she pulled up, feet leaving the ground for barely a second, her arms shook in protest before she dropped back down. She looked back over her shoulder at the two children watching her, looking pleadingly at Frisk. The girl simply shrugged, however. Obviously, she had no ideas.

"Okay, let's try again," she ground out, grasping the edge of the ledge tighter and willing her muscles to cooperate. This time, however, her lack of solid grasp was her downfall, her fingers slipping and sending her back to the ground and landing on her butt with a painful thud. She groaned, the pain bursting in her tailbone and her fingertips burning. "I can't...I can't do it." Evelynne bit her lip, fighting the sudden feeling of helplessness and shame that washed over her. Something as simple as pulling herself up on a ledge was too hard for her. She ran a hand through her wet hair, grabbing at the roots and pulling slightly in her frustration. She wouldn't be so weak if it weren't for her life in the hospital. Tiny arms wound around her neck as Frisk pressed herself against Evelynne's back in an effort to comfort her.

How were they going to move forward? She looked up at the ledge, pushing the negative feelings away to focus on their predicament. She couldn't climb. But...maybe she could use magic. It never worked for her when she wanted it to, but she had to try, right? She suddenly found herself wishing Sans had stayed with them. Maybe he would have a solution. It almost seemed like he knew exactly what to do...Like Frisk usually did. She made a mental note of the connection before reaching up and gently removing Frisk's arms before smiling. She had to warn Frisk, just in case this worked.

"Hey, remember when we fell, and I was floating?" She asked Frisk, who nodded. "You know that was something special, right? Something...we're not supposed to be able to do? Magic?" Evelynne's voice became lower and lower until she was barely audible. The monster kid was only a few feet away, seemingly looking for another route. There was none. It was obvious. But she appreciated the effort. Evelynne looked back at Frisk, whose eyes were just a fraction wider. "I'm going to try and do it again, okay? But I need you to step back, and if anything goes wrong, you need to take the kid and run." Frisk shot her an indignant look and Evelynne hardened her stare. "You don't get a say. Promise me you'll do it? I...don't even know if I can…" Evelynne trailed off, the feeling of uselessness creeping up on her. She shook her head to clear it. She had to believe it would work. She waited until Frisk nodded before smiling and ruffling her hair. She shook slightly as she pushed herself up and approached the ledge. She was nervous. Good.

Closing her eyes, she focused on that ever-present electricity rushing through her, determined to pull it forward. She had only ever tried to reach her magic a few times. She had been young and curious, even hopeful that she could tame it. But she had quickly learned her lesson. So why was she trying it now? She willed it to wrap around her and lift her, pushing away her doubts. There was no danger to force it forward. All she had to do was focus. Breathe. Pull! Her magic reacted, growing more present. She could feel it buzzing in the air around her, like a phantom charge. She could hear it in her ears, and the hair on her arms and neck stood at the stimulation. Good, now just a bit more…She willed it to manifest and lift her, but as she pulled, it pushed. Suddenly, she hissed in frustration and anxiety, eyes still closed tight and hands balling into fists. She had to keep it under control!

"Hey, what're you doing?" Almost immediately, her influence over her magic disappeared, and it returned to dormancy inside of her. She opened her eyes, resisting the urge to glare at the kid.

"Nothing," she answered, wincing at the bite in her tone. She took a deep, calming breath. "Just...trying to figure out a way up…"

"Humans? How nice of you to have called me yet again! And so soon!" Evelynne turned quickly, brows furrowed in confusion before examining the phone that Frisk held up. She had called Papyrus and put him on speaker. "You must really like me, to want to talk so often! Well, as always, I shall try not to disappoint! What is it you have called to tell me about, dear friends?" Evelynne couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. Papyrus...maybe he would know another way.

"Papyrus, we seem to be in a bit of trouble…" Evelynne replied, gingerly taking the phone from Frisk.

"Oh no! Are you alright?"

"Yes Papyrus, we're fine! Don't worry. We're just….stuck."

"Stuck? Stuck where? Perhaps I can help you!"

"I hope so…" Evelynne sighed, looking back at the ledge. "We're in Waterfall still...we just passed through this open cavern where we could see the castle...but now we're stuck at a ledge. Do you know any other way around it? We can't seem to find any other paths."

"Hmmm. I do not believe there are any other paths. Why don't you just climb the ledge?" Evelynne huffed, rolling her eyes. Regardless of the fact that Papyrus was a skeleton and therefore had no muscles, he was quite strong. He could pick up Evelynne and Frisk and carry them without breaking a sweat. Sans had told her of his extensive physical training in hope of joining the guard, but it wasn't until Papyrus had lifted up the side of the couch with one hand, holding it up unwaveringly despite the fact that Sans and the two humans were sitting on it, all while vacuuming with the other, that she truly understood how strong he was. If he were with them, he probably could have simply lifted her up on the ledge, but as it was...

"I tried. I...just can't, Papyrus."

"Nonsense! You can do anything you set your mind to! Sans told me that when we were really young, and look! I'm nearly an honored member of the Royal Guard!" Evelynne narrowed her eyes. That was probably the worst example he could have used, but there was no doubt he believed in himself. She wondered if Sans had told him that when he was learning magic. Would he tell her that? Just putting her mind to it didn't seem to make much of a difference. "Now go back to that ledge and show it your determination! I believe in you!"

"Oh...thanks Papyrus…" Evelynne looked down at the phone sadly, sighing. He sounded so sure, and so genuine. This skeleton would break her heart, if he didn't stop saying things like that. She couldn't refuse his advice. "I'll go...try that ledge again, okay?"

"Yes! That ledge doesn't stand a chance against your strength! Good bye, human! Call back soon!"

"Bye, Papyrus." Evelynne hung up, handing the phone back to Frisk. "Well...so much for finding another way around. Maybe there is something else we can do…"

"Yo, what about the bucket!" Evelynne turned, raising a brow at the kid's outburst.

"The...bucket?"

"Yeah! You could stand on it!" He jumped in enthusiasm, clearly proud of his suggestion. Evelynne opened her mouth to turn his suggestion down, but stopped. The bucket was pretty tall, and assuming it held her weight….it could work.

"That's actually...a pretty good idea. Yeah, let's try it, huh?" Evelynne smiled, watching the excited look on his face grow. She could imagine the kid was used to be ignored, with how much he always spoke. But even the youngest, most inexperienced kid could have good ideas. She walked over and carefully dumped the umbrellas out of the bucket, leaving them in a neat pile on the ground next to the sign before bringing it over to the ledge. "Let's hope this holds…" she muttered, more to herself than the two children. She planted her hands against the rocky wall as she stepped up, legs shaking with the effort to balance. The bucket shook slightly beneath her, and she felt unsteady as she stood to full height, the top of the ledge at her waist. "Okay! Okay…" She took a deep breath, letting go of the wall and placing her hands on top of the ledge before carefully shifting to bring a leg up. From there, she practically threw herself up onto the ledge, rolling onto her back with a grunt of effort. She opened her eyes, looking up at the dark ceiling as she smiled triumphantly before rolling up onto her hands and knees and crawling back over to the ledge. "Frisk! I made it! Come on!" Evelynne reached down with both hands, carefully hauling Frisk up onto the ledge. It took all her body weight to do so without hurting the child, but eventually Frisk was hauled up, Evelynne throwing herself back until Frisk landed on top of her. The child smiled at her and quickly scrambled off, leaving Evelynne to crawl back over to the ledge. Evelynne held her hand out before freezing and frowning. Right. He had no arms. "Uhh...how do we do this?"

"Yo, you go on ahead. I always find a way through. Don't worry about me!"

"But-" Before should could express her concerns, the kid ran off, tripping and landing painfully on his face before getting up and continuing like nothing happened. Evelynne sighed, leaning back and watching him go before pushing herself up. "Okay. Guess we should keep going, right?" Evelynne asked, looking at Frisk.

It was dark as the hallway continued, and more plaques of the monster's history lined the walls. Evelyne tried her best not to let the information depress her. Was it true? Did all the humans survive the war? Had only monsters died? How many had been turned to dust because of the selfishness of her race? She frowned as they continued forward. No wonder they didn't want humans walking around, down here. She would have a grudge, too. The more she read, the more she considered asking Sans. Did he know of their history? How old did monsters live? She paled at the thought that he may have been involved in the war. Perhaps they were children, and he had been tasked with protecting Papyrus. He was the older brother, right? Were their parents alive?

Could skeletons even have children?

They eventually found themselves walking on another bridge, a black abyss beneath them. Evelynne initially felt anxiety settle into her chest, though she was confident in the bridge's structure. It did not sway or shake as they walked, and even though it lacked railings, it was far wider than any bridge she had ever walked on before. These facts, coupled with as Frisk's concerned stare and vice-like hold on her hand, kept her moving forward, pushing away the anxiety. She was fine. She wouldn't fall off. They would be back on a solid rocky path soon. Then, they'd rest, maybe call Papyru-

Evelynne shrieked, pulling back with fear as glowing cyan spears shot up from the bridge in front of her. In seconds, they dematerialized, and Evelynne felt Frisk pulling forward. She looked down at the child, who was giving her a frantic stare.

"Move! We have to go!" The words sounded strange, coming from Frisk. Her voice had never sounded so panicked. Move? Where? Forward was where the spears came from. Why was Frisk trying to go that way? Evelynne pulled back, until a sound prompted her to turn around. There, at the start of the bridge, stood a very familiar figure.

Undyne.

"Oh shit!" Evelynne suddenly sprung into action, turning back and running forward. Frisk was suddenly being pulled behind her, though it wasn't difficult to keep up with Evelynne's speed. Spears kept materializing in their path, causing them to stop every few seconds. Undyne's slow, confident footsteps were trailing them, and soon spears began whizzing past them at lightening speeds, causing Evelynne to yelp. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she found herself disoriented, turning down the branching paths of the bridge only to find dead ends. Frisk would pull her this way and that whenever she stopped, trying to direct her, but her thoughts were racing. She couldn't breathe, but she needed to run. She was coughing, and it hurt. Was that blood? Had she been cut? Was Frisk hurt? They couldn't stop yet, they needed to keep going, to get away. But they had nowhere to run.

Evelynne was gasping and sobbing, looking down at the dark abyss below them. Her form was shaking, and the air crackled around her. The footsteps stopped behind them, and Evelynne would have fainted if it weren't for her magic flaring up around her. She could see wisps of silver. The last time it had done that, she had been about to take a hit from some psycho in the hospital. It had stopped them, but what good would it be now against magic spears? She didn't have too much time to think about it. She turned, hand still holding Frisk's.

The kid wasn't looking at her. She was looking straight at Undyne. Evelynne pulled Frisk back to her shuddering form, kneeling down and shakily wrapping an arm around her before looking up at Undyne with teary eyes. She opened her mouth and took a breath to speak, but was cut off by more coughing. Violent shuddering and painful convulsions ripped through her. She had to tell her. They were innocent. She didn't have to-

There was a sound. It was loud enough to break through the harsh coughs, and suddenly Evelynne felt herself falling. She clung to Frisk, pulling the child tightly against her chest as she tried to gain control over her body. She was shaking hard and fighting to breathe as wind rushed past her and her hair whipped around her. What happened? Were they pushed? Evelynne forced her eyes open the moment she stopped coughing, looking up at the pieces of wood falling around her and above her. Had the bridge shattered? Something flew toward them, difficult to see in the blackness surrounding them, but it glowed. It was cyan…

It hit before Evelynne had a chance to react, and suddenly she was gripped by darkness.

* * *

I love all of you, but especially these people:

 **WandererRaen, Angel of Randomosity, Falcrow, AmbiguousTardigrade,** and **WishingNova**.

To those of you who are new to reviews and left me such wonderful messages, welcome, and I'm so happy you enjoy it! I hope I don't disappoint you! That being said, if I do, let me know! I don't want to lose any of you wonderful viewers because I'm letting school crush my brain to bits!

No response this week because I'm super tired...I already took my pill haha...but I'm going to try to make responses a thing. I like AO3 because I can respond directly to a comment as part of a thread. I wish I didn't have to do pms as responses here haha. Regardless, I may bunch the responses for last chapter and this chapter (if I get any reviews!) into the next one...yeah...tired. Okay I'll stop rambling.

ILYA, SYANU!


	21. dummy!

**A/N:** Okay so totally a filler chapter here, and this is why:

...I love the dummy.  
Oh god, I love the dummy.  
He's so funny!

I hope this chapter is acceptable, and that you all enjoy it!

P.S. If you haven't checked out the short story I wrote for Valentine's Day, you should go there ;) It's titled...Valentine's Day. Because originality. ;D Sans and Evelynne universe!

* * *

She had been so comfortable. It was a weightlessness accompanied by silence and darkness. There was no pain or fear, no cold or rain. She wanted to stay there forever, safe and calm. She wanted to sleep. But consciousness pulled at her, alerting her of sobbing in the distance. It was so far away….but why was someone crying? Who was it? She tried her best to ignore it, but it seemed to get louder, and irritation nagged at her. How could she sleep when someone was making so much noise? She just wanted to rest! The hysterical voice called her name. Evelynne. Oh. That's who she was. She hadn't even realized she'd forgotten. But why was someone sobbing and mumbling? Why was she sleeping? Hadn't she been...doing something? Evelynne suddenly felt her heart skip a beat, and a rush of consciousness hit her. The sobbing became louder, and she felt her body being shaken frantically. This, of course, was accompanied by a wave of pain throughout her body, and the splitting headache that seemed to be cracking her skull in two. Her eyes fluttered open as she groaned, bringing a hand up to her head and wincing. What had happened? Where was she? Why did her head hurt so bad, and….what the hell was she lying in? Desperate to stop the crying and mumbling beside her, she turned her head to glare at a familiar patch of brown hair...

Frisk!

Evelynne forced herself up, much to the surprise of the child, and wrapped an arm around her small form.

"Frisk! Are you okay? Are you hurt? What happened?" Evelynne asked frantically, eyes wandering over the child's body to check for injuries. Her throat burned painfully and her voice was rough, causing her to wince as she examined Frisk carefully. She seemed fine, however, and Evelynne stared at her in confusion, observing the fat tears rolling down her face like two rivers, even though she stared at Evelynne in shock.

What had she been saying? 'I can't do it.' What couldn't she do? "Frisk? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Instead of answering, a slow smile broke through the tears, and suddenly Evelynne felt herself wrapped in an embrace. Frisk pressed her body against Evelynne, nuzzling her face into Evelynne's shoulder as she sniffled. The woman wrapped an arm tightly around the child, unsure of what was happening. Why would Frisk be crying if she wasn't injured? She tried to remember what happened….they were walking and reading plaques, climbing ledges, listening to the kid….There was a bridge….

Evelynne felt her heart drop. Undyne. They had been chased and...pushed? No, not pushed. She didn't remember feeling pressure. She had been so frantic, though. It wouldn't be a surprise if she just hadn't noticed, in her panic. She grimaced at the thought. She had let her fear take her over every single time. What if she had died? How would Frisk stand a chance? What if Frisk had been injured, or...or….She squeezed Frisk a little, attempting to comfort her.

That couldn't happen again. No more running.

"Shh. We're okay. Don't cry anymore." She rubbed Frisk's back, unsure of how else to comfort the child. "I'm okay. We just need to keep going, okay?" She pushed Frisk back gently, smiling up at the child despite the pain in her head and body. "What were you saying, Frisk? You can't do what?" Instantly the smile was gone, and she was shaking her head frantically, clinging to the hoodie desperately as if Evelynne would disappear. "Whoa, okay, don't answer. It's fine. We're fine. Come on." Evelynne pushed her back just the slightest bit before taking a breath. She had no idea how bad her injuries were, or how long she'd been out. But Undyne was after their souls. There was no chance that she'd leave them alone for long. The slightest movement sent dull waves of pain through her back, and she carefully shifted to sit on her knees before groaning. "Frisk, do we have any food?"

"No...my bag…" Evelynne looked up at the sad, apologetic look on Frisk's face. Oh. The bag must have fallen somewhere else. Panic slammed into Evelynne's chest as her hands flew down to her pockets. Empty, save for that damned key!

"The phone! Do you have the phone?" There was a slight pause before Frisk shook her head. Evelynne groaned loudly at this news, slouching slightly despite the pain it caused. Now they had no way to contact Papyrus. If they really needed his help, they were screwed. Evelynne groaned, looking around. She had no clue where they were. Piles of what looked like garbage surrounded them, sticking up out of the water around their little patch of mud and...flowers? She furrowed her brows, one hand caressing a few of the golden petals. What was with these golden flowers? They were...everywhere.

"What can I do?" Evelynne looked up at Frisk, still sniffling, but looking more determined now. She had stopped shaking, at least. Evelynne braced herself for pain before pushing herself up slowly. She was prepared for more than she felt. In fact, the pain in her back and the dull throb of her legs felt more like muscle strain than anything. No, the real pain came from the throbbing in her skull. She stood at full height, bringing her hands up and gritting her teeth. It felt like her head was going to explode at any second, and she squeezed her eyes shut in hopes to dull the feeling. A few moments later it lessened slightly, and she slowly cracked her eyes open, looking down into the worried eyes of Frisk. She held a hand out, waiting patiently when Frisk hesitated until finally taking her hand.

"I'll be okay, but we need to move. Do you have any idea where to go?" Evelynne asked, voice strained slightly. Frisk shook her head, and had Evelynne not been plagued with the headache, she may have noticed the unconvincing look in Frisk's eyes. But, as it was, she simply looked forward and squinted into the darkness before slowly moving.

It was a slow, aggravating trek. They waded through thigh-high water lined with trash for much longer than Evelynne cared to remember. The end of San's hoodie soaked up water, weighing her down as she pushed forward. She hoped he wouldn't be too mad at her. Then again, he likely didn't care. As the end of the area loomed ahead, a dark and silent corridor leading out of the water, Evelynne was suddenly pulled to a stop by Frisk. She looked back with confusion, a wave of dizziness hitting her at the speed with which she turned. Frisk was opening an old cooler floating in the water, digging around and pulling out a bag. It was quickly shoved into her hand, and she brought the brightly colored package up to her face with curiosity.

"Freeze-dried space food bar?" She read, squinting at the item.

"Eat it," Frisk demanded, looking up at her expectantly.

"What? You want me to eat something that's been sitting in that cooler for who knows how long? Something called freeze-dried space food?" She asked, scrunching up her face in disgust.

"Please?" Frisk looked up at her pleadingly, and Evelynne sighed. She couldn't say no to those eyes….she was only worried about her health. Evelynne scowled down at the little package in her hand before sighing.

"Okay, fine," she muttered, tearing open the food and observing it. It looked like a bar of different colored raisins, the majority of it dark with spots of white and yellow. It was sticky against her skin, and she had to swallow her nausea before taking a bite. She chewed it hesitantly, bursts of undescribable flavor exploding in her mouth. Regardless of her reluctance, her headache began ebbing away along with the dull throbbing pain in her back and legs the moment the food was swallowed. She quickly took another bite, forcing herself to eat the rest of the bar as the pain became manageable. Frisk watched her with a strange smile, but the relief was evident in her eyes. Soon, the bar was gone, and Evelynne was left with only a small throbbing in her head. She wiggled a little in place to test her muscles, feeling only fatigue in her limbs. "Forgetting that I just ate some forgotten trash food, I feel great," she said, smiling down at the giggling girl beside her. A strange aftertaste sat on her tongue, but she decided it was tolerable. "At least I'll be in good enough shape to run again, right?" Evelynne sighed, looking forward at the dark path ahead of them. She was eager to get out of the trash water, but if Undyne was up ahead…

She wouldn't be running again.

They were almost on dry land when a splash sounded behind them. Evelynne turned, eyes scanning the area frantically before another splash in front of them stole her attention, and suddenly she was staring at...a very angry looking dummy. He looked just like the training dummy from the ruins, but it had animated eyes and a mouth that shook as it laughed. It's body seemed to sway slightly, and it's voice was manic, at best, with it's high tones and scratchy quality.

"Too intimidated to fight me, huh?" Evelynne raised a brow, confusion on her face. "I am a ghost that lives inside a dummy. My cousin used to live inside a dummy, until you came along!" It shouted, and Evelynne pushed Frisk behind her. This dummy was definitely mad, in both forms. She opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off again. "When you talked to them, they thought they were in for a nice chat, but the things you said...Horrible. Shocking! Unbelievable!" Evelynne shook her head, trying to defend herself. What had she even said to the dummy in the ruins? She could only remember awkwardly asking it about the weather to appease Toriel. Had Frisk said something mean? She doubted it. Toriel had listened to every word, and looked happy. Perhaps the dummy was confusing them with someone else? "It spooked them right out of their dummy! Humans, I'll scare your soul out of your bodies!" Evelynne gasped, surprised that he knew they were humans. Suddenly, Evelynne felt her soul being pulled out of her chest, and she was locked in an encounter with the dummy. Behind her, Frisk began to move forward, but Evelynne quickly held an arm out to block the child.

"Frisk! Go hide behind that pile of trash, okay? I'll take care of the dummy." She whispered, trying to push Frisk away. The child refused, however, pushing forward and looking up at her with a determined gaze before widening her eyes.

"Your soul…" She responded, and Evelynne looked down in confusion before gasping. Her soul had two dark lines running through it. They looked like...two tiny cracks? Evelynne frowned, but looked back down to push Frisk away.

"Just get out of the way! I'll be okay, but I don't want to worry about you getting hurt!"

"Hey! Turn around and fight me!"

"Go!" She gave Frisk one last push before turning toward the dummy, frowning. "Hey, listen, I'm not sure you have the right, uh, humans. I didn't say anything bad to your cousin-"

"Lies, lies, lies!" Evelynne gasped as what looked like tiny dummies appeared around him, and in a matter of seconds, magic bullets that looked like cotton was aimed at her. She managed to jumped out of the way just in time before being met with a row of dummies in front of her face. Yelping, she lurched forward, hands coming up to cradle her soul. She didn't want a repeat of the last time her soul had been hit directly. "Pitiful, pitiful, pitiful!" More dummies appeared, and Evelynne huffed as she rushed farther forward and to the side to avoid the attacks. However, a yelp from the dummy caught her attention. "Ow! You dummies! Watch where you're aiming your magic attacks!" Evelynne stopped, raising a brow. It...hurt him? How could that…

She gaped, nearly slapping a hand to her forehead. Of course! Ghost monsters must not be impervious to magic like they naturally were to physical attacks! She smirked. All she had to do was turn his attacks against him. Easy, right? She hoped so.

"Hey! Can't we talk about this?" She pleaded, but the dummy growled at her.

"I'll defeat you and take your soul! I'll use it to cross the barrier!" More attacks were sent her way, and she managed to dodge, but none hit him. He was bouncing around in some sort of excited manner, shimmying in his form and laughing as he yelled. "I'll stand in the window of a fancy store! Then everything I want will be mine!" Evelynne dodged more attacks, trying to ignore his rambling. He was actually insane. Evelynne suddenly felt better about her own mental health. Yet...maybe she would go insane too, if she had to live under a mountain and inside a dummy for who knows how long. He began talking about his cousin, and even asked what their name was before getting hit once again, and Evelynne grinned in triumph through her panting. She was already tired, her muscles tense and chest burning. She prayed she wouldn't start coughing again. She had to finish this and make sure Frisk was safe. The dummy screamed out angrily, glaring. "Hey dummies!" A bunch of dummies appeared out of thin air, looking at him like a tiny imaginary army. Evelynne took the chance to lean against the wall and catch her breath. He could insanely ramble at his own magic for as long as he wanted, as far as she was concerned. "Remember how I said not to shoot at me? Failures! You're fired! You're all being replaced!" Evelynne pushed away her confusion. Afterall, magic was an extension of the monster, so shouldn't his own magic not hurt him? Shouldn't he be able to control it? Whatever. He turned towards her, glaring. She'd never get to ask her questions. He wasn't interested in conversation. "Now you'll get to see my true power!"

Of course, his true power involved more dummies shooting toward her, and missiles appearing out of thin air and following after her. She nearly got hit several times, but she found that ducking under the attacks were more effective than moving to the side. It seemed his attacks worked on a single plane, and Evelynne used this to her advantage, ducking and turning. It might have been graceful, if she weren't fighting against the water. The dummy was hit by his own attacks several more times before the attacks stopped, leaving Evelynne panting and choking on oxygen as she held a hand to her mouth to avoid a fit. She forced her eyes to stay on him, watching for his next move. Was Frisk still behind the trash pile? Her heart was pounding…

"No way. These guys are even worse than the other guys. Who cares, who cares, who cares!" Evelynne flinched as the dummy began convulsing erratically, pieces of cotton flying from his form. "I don't need friends! I've got knives!" For some reason, the real knife flying out of the water was more intimidating than the magic, and Evelynne screamed as it flew toward her. She shifted just barely out of the way, her heart skipping as it flew past her. She looked back, expecting there to be more, but the dummy was looking at her with narrowed eyes. "I'm...out of knives." If she wasn't so tired and focused on controlling her breathing, her jaw would have dropped. Instead, she took in a ragged breath, resting her hands on her knees as she leaned down in exhaustion. "It doesn't matter! You can't hurt me, and I can't hurt you! You'll be stuck fighting me...forever. Forever! Forever!" Maniacal laughter came from the dummy, and Evelynne groaned. She just wanted to curl up in a corner and sleep. Just for a little while…

"What the heck is this?" Evelynne looked up, squinting at him through her slightly blurred vision. Was that...rain? "Acid rain? Oh, forget it! I'm outta here!" The dummy hopped away, leaving Evelynne alone. Her soul slowly returned to her body, and Frisk was by her side in seconds, looking up at her worriedly.

"I'm...fine," she assured, still panting ever so slightly. Looking forward, she spotted a very familiar ghost in front of them.

"Sorry…" he whined, his low timid voice shaking. "I interrupted you, didn't I? As soon as I came over, your friend immediately left…"

"Napstablook! We're so glad to see you!" She forced out, hoping to sound sincere. Nevermind that the dummy wasn't their friend. Thank god this ghost was here!

"Oh no, you guys looked like you were having fun...Oh no, I just wanted to say hi…Oh no…"

"Nap, hey, it's okay, really," Evelynne assured, finally regaining control of her body. She still felt exhausted, but she forced a smile on her face. "I'm glad you came."

"Oh...Well, I'm going to head home now...ummm...feel free to 'come with' if you want...but no pressure. I understand if you're busy. It's fine, no worries. Just thought I'd offer." Before Evelynne could respond, he disappeared, leaving the way ahead clear. She looked down at Frisk, shaking her head and sighing before pulling her forward. A house with a friend sounded too good to pass up, anyway.

Walking up on dry land felt wonderful, and though her pants stuck to her legs and her boots squished as she walked, she was just happy to no longer fight for each step. She felt sticky and gross, and wondered if a ghost would have use for a shower, but decided not to get her hopes up. He would at least have a bed, right? Eventually, the hallway they had entered open up to a rectangular clearing, Napstablook floating over a giant rectangular waterhole in the center. "Hey...my house is up here, in case you want to see, or...in case you don't." He disappeared, and Evelynne fought the urge to roll her eyes. The monsters here were really sweet, but exhausting. Still, she led Frisk around the water in the direction of the house up ahead. In fact, there were three. One was in a lane to the left, leading up to what looked like a small round house decorated like...a fish? She wasn't sure….but there were fins. Directly ahead of them sat two houses; one blue and one brown. They were both tall and within feet of one another, bending outward in a weird bulb shape that seemed almost...malleable. The roofs looked like tiny triangular hats sitting precariously atop the structures, and there was a single window on each. Despite looking strange, they were almost...cute.

The door to the blue house on the left was just slightly ajar, and Evelynne carefully approached it, Frisk walking just behind her. She hesitantly reached a hand out, but the door swung open before she made contact. Napstablook floated there, a surprised look on his face. He was wearing what looked to be a pair of black headphones, a wire hanging down to nothing.

"Oh! You really came.." His timid voice barely conveyed his surprise. Evelynne was getting the impression that no matter his emotion, he would sound depressed. "Sorry, I..wasn't expecting that." Evelynne frowned for only a moment before quickly placing a kind smile on her face. What had happened to this poor ghost to make him so timid, anyway?

"Of course we came! It would be rude to ignore an invitation from a friend," she said, trying to look as sincere as possible. Honestly, she just wanted to go inside and get warm. Maybe she could sleep, too. She didn't care if she slept on a bed or on the floor, but her muscles were screaming at her for rest, her eyes blurring with the need to close.

"Oh...gee...thanks. It's not much, but make yourself at home." He floated away, and Evelynne looked down at Frisk with a questioning gaze. She hadn't asked her if she was comfortable with this. However, Frisk simply smiled up and let go of her hand, moving inside. It didn't take long for Evelynne to follow.

The inside of the house was fairly small and empty, the perfect size for one small ghost. The ceiling was high up and littered with cobwebs, but lacked any decorations or art like the brother's had, leaving it devoid of any personality. The floor was pretty clean, but the room lacked furniture, and Evelynne inwardly sobbed at the lack of bed. The only things in the tiny room was a desk holding a computer, a TV, and a refrigerator. Lining one of the walls sat three separate devices that looked like cassette players.

"Uh, do you wanna listen to some tunes...or something?" Napstablook was floating in front of his computer awkwardly, watching them with uncertainty.

"Actually, Napstablook….do you mind if we rest? We're really tired…" Evelynne threw him a pleading gaze, hoping he wouldn't be offended. He seemed to like music very much, but Evelynne was certain that if she sat and listened to anything for more than a minute, she'd pass out.

"Oh...well, you're welcome to lay on the floor. I like to lie on the ground and feel like garbage after a good meal...oh! Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat…" Frisk nodded frantically, though Evelynne waved off the question.

"I'm fine...but I will definitely take your offer for the floor." She smiled at him and Frisk before moving over to the far side of the room, hoping to stay out of the way. Unzipping Sans hoodie, she began to fold it in an attempt to create a pillow before she froze, scowling. Right. It was covered in mud. She reached a hand up to her hair, feeling the crusted dirt. Breathing out a frustrated sigh, Evelynne dropped the hoodie on the ground and sat next to it, looking at it sadly before pushing it away. She'd worry about that, and a shower, later. She had just moved to lay on the ground when a hand tapped on her shoulder, prompting her to turn. Frisk stood behind her, holding out Evelynne's hoodie with a smile on her face. The woman shook her head, sitting back up. "No, I couldn't. What will you use to lay on? Besides, I'll get it all dirty." Frisk frowned, shoving the hoodie into her face. Evelynne couldn't help but laugh. She may not talk often, but Frisk definitely had some sass in her. "Frisk, please. I'll be okay!" She said through giggles. After a moment of blankly staring forward, Frisk simply dropped the hoodie and walked away, moving back toward the fridge where Napstablook floated, bobbing his head to whatever music he was listening to. With a sigh, Evelynne balled up the hoodie, knowing better than to disobey Frisk. Either way, she'd wake up with the hoodie under her head. Accepting defeat, she laid down with the hoodie acting as her thin pillow, eyes closing almost immediately.

They'd be safe here. She could feel it. Napstablook liked them, for being so nice in the ruins. When she woke up, they'd head out in search for a place to clean up. Frisk seemed to have been lucky, most likely saved from the mud bath by Evelynne. But...there was no way she could travel while caked in mud. She'd ask Napstablook later. For now…

Evelynne tuned out the ghost's quiet words behind her as he spoke to Frisk. She missed the couch. How were the brothers? When would she see Sans again? She hoped it would be soon. She'd have to find their bag and give Papyrus a call. She smiled, thinking about the excitable skeleton. She missed his spaghetti. It wasn't great, but it was warm and…

"Oh...sorry...It's a ghost sandwhich…"

...edible.

Evelynne breathed deeply, feeling her muscles relax. She'd have to make the best of these arrangements, just for now. Just a few hours. Surprisingly, her mind quieted quickly, and the world around her darkened, until finally she was wrapped back up in that warm, comfortable silence.

* * *

"I'm...out of knives." Yes. Yes yes yes. Forever. That part of the battle forever.

Shout outs to these lovelies: **WandererRaen, Angel of Randomosity, Dragon of Yin and Yang, AmbiguousTardigrade, longagonever,** and **LainaFantasyGirl**.

Jeez, this fic is getting long. I've been getting a lot of comments recently about how people are glad the romance isn't in your face, and is slow building. I have a very specific response.

 **The story isn't in the romance. It's in the adventure.** The journey is more important than the result. This story isn't so much about the love Evelynne will eventually share with Sans. We'll see more of that in the sequel, anyway. This story is about Evelynne, and the build up of the relationship. Sans doesn't hand out his trust. He has baggage. We all know that. I want to stay as true to that as possible. That's why I always ask for feedback, and it means so much when you all tell me it's organic. Because that's my goal. Evelynne is this real person, going through this real event, that just so happens to exist because Toby Fox is amazing. You all have come along to join her in this wonderful adventure...I want you to love **her** before you love _them_. Make sense? I hope so! And, by all means, let me know how you feel about that in the reviews, or pm me and we can have a discussion (especially if you want to talk game theory. Oh man, I love Undertale theories.)

I hope the dummy fight wasn't disappointing! I love his character to bits. And his theme. Yes. Ska. Indeed.

Evelyn's magic is a part of her, but it doesn't define her. It's not a possessive ghost. I've gotten some questions about this on AO3, as well. Everyone wants to see more of her struggle, but I like it as is. Her magic has manifested enough that she hasn't had a problem with it taking over. I'm not going to make an excuse to write it in. To be perfectly honest, Evelynne is having her adventure, and I'm just documenting it. If it happens, it happens. ;) And when it does. ya'll will be the first to know!

Okay! Enough answers and talk and blahblah, THANK YOU all for reading. If you enjoyed it, why not leave a review? You'll get a shout out in return ;) ILYA, and SYANU!


	22. Chara

**A/N:** So this week was rough...This chapter is rough...life is rough...work is rough. I'm in a bad place right now. This chapter, Idunno. Let me know how you like it, but it is what it is for now. I always have these huge plans as a writer to go back and edit my stories, and this became something bigger than I ever imagined it would be. I thought it'd be a ten chapter thing...I didn't plan out any of it...I wasn't sure if I wanted to do a sequel...I mean, heck! I had like ten concepts, and I chose this one because it was the weakest for me, and I thought it'd be quick...but this story grew on me and it's turned into something huge.

Don't get me wrong, I love it. I love that you guys love it. I love writing it. It's just...insane. Between AO3 and here, it's bigger than I imagined, and growing. And it's fantastic. Don't worry, it's going to go forward. But...well, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and even if you don't, I hope the following ones are better. Things are getting a little rocky in my life right now, but I'm going to push through...  
I didn't want to post this chapter, but if I don't I'll hang onto it forever and never update. So I'm not happy with it, but it's moving the story along, and that's what I need right now. And just...thank you all for being amazing readers. Really.  
Okay, that's enough. I hope it's better than I think it is. Please, enjoy! And don't forget to leave a review!

* * *

Evelynne leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. Her eyes were half-lidded as she stared up at the dark ceiling, face numb from exhaustion and chest aching. She had woken up not long after falling asleep, though it had apparently been long enough for Frisk to have found comfort beside her. Napstablook was nowhere in the tiny house, and Evelynne had decided to let Frisk sleep, shutting off the small lamp that lit the house before quietly leaving. Outside it was silent, and she could cough freely without fear of disturbing the sleeping child. Her chest burned painfully and she winced, fighting the urge to begin another fit. A permanent tickle had started in her throat since fighting the mad dummy, and it had apparently become more irritated during her rest. Another two coughs left her, followed by a groan of irritation. No food, no water, no gold, and no phone. What else was going to happen? Sighing, she pushed herself away from the wall, moving forward towards the waterhole. Might as well explore the area before moving on.

Back at the clearing with the rectangular waterfall sat three more paths. The one to the upper left led to an area that looked to be blocked off by a fence, and she wondered if it was even accessible to her. She decided to ask Napstablook about it later, looking down the next. To the lower left was a path that led to more darkness, and she rolled her eyes. What did the monsters here have against light? That left the one to the right, just under the path to the fish house. It was dimly lit, and Evelynne decided it was her best chance at finding something useful, moving forward to explore. Of course, her optimism ebbed away as she reached the end of the walkway, staring down blankly into the water. The earth had, apparently, crumbled here, leaving a wide gap. Unless she went for a swim, there would be no getting to the other side. But...

Evelynne kneeled down, dipping a hand into the water. It was clean, here, and dark. The only light came from the single lantern against the wall to her right. Maybe this was a good place to bathe? She stood and looked around, skimming the hall on the other side before turning to ensure no one had followed her. Silence echoed in the halls, the only sounds being those she created. She briefly considered retrieving Frisk, biting gently at her lower lip in thought. Frisk was safer indoors, and she likely needed the sleep she was getting. With them both bathing at the same time, that left them vulnerable. No, she'd bathe and then stand guard for Frisk. Evelynne turned, gazing into the water one last time before beginning to strip. She had no clue how deep the water was, but it was a mild temperature and had no current. She hadn't been in a pool since she was nine….did she still remember how to swim?

Was there...anything in the water?

Evelynne tried to push away her worries, far too excited at the possibility of washing off the dirt and sweat from her skin to care. All that running and dodging had left her sweaty, leaving her smelling ripe and feeling itchy. It was disgusting. She untied Sans's hoodie from around her waist, setting it on the ground beside her before slowly stripping herself of the rest of her clothes, standing in just her bra and underwear. Her face heated up, and she made a mock prayer that no one would happen upon her while she was washing. She looked down at her black and blue undergarments, deciding to keep them on in case she needed to make a fast getaway without embarrassing herself too much…

Squatting down, Evelynne slowly lowered herself to sit on the ground at the edge, cautiously swinging her feet over and into the water. She was suddenly taken back to the backyard of her home, where she had performed these timid movements before. The water was perfect, then. It had been a hot summer, and she and her brother had begged for a kiddie pool, at the very least. It had been placed at the end of the deck, and her brother had jumped right in, laughing and splashing at the relief. Evelynne had been more timid, not used to the feeling of being surrounded in cold water. Still, it had turned out to be a pleasant experience, and she could only hope this would be the same. She slowly pushed forward until she found herself standing in the water. Regardless of her worries and caution, it was not deep at all. She stood, the water ending just at her chest. She shivered at first, the water colder than she had anticipated, but her body quickly adjusted.

The first to be washed was Sans's hoodie. She gently brought it into the water with her, scrubbing out all of the mud and trying her best to wash away the smell of garbage. She knew it would take a while to dry, but she loathed the idea of seeing him next with his hoodie in ruins. She made sure to gently wring the excess water from it before gently laying it open on the ground to dry. Her jeans and shirt went in next, undergoing the same treatment until they, too, were laid on the ground, clean and sopping wet. Her socks were last, and she sighed happily as they slowly returned to their pristine white color.

Evelynne looked at her work happily before inhaling deeply and dropping down until her head was submerged, eyes closed tight as she brought her hands up to scrub at her hair. Her nails raked at her scalp as she desperately tried to blindly clean herself, only coming back up when she was sure all the dirt was gone. She breathed deeply, coughing at the irritated tickle in her throat, but otherwise ignoring the episode. It seemed the coughs were here to stay. She needed to learn how to deal. Perhaps she'd be able to get medicine, if she made it back up to the surface.

After a thorough cleaning, Evelynne sighed in content, running her hands over her skin one last time to ensure all the dirt was off of her. At least she'd smell a little better, now. The chill of the water made the slightly warmer air feel wonderful against her skin as she lifted herself out of the water, stretching and arching her back until it popped. It was amazing how quickly her mood had improved from just a quick cleaning, but she chose not to question it. She bent down, running a hand over the hoodie. It was still damp, but it'd have to do, until her clothes dried.

" _Water_ you doing?" Evelynne yelped, jumping and turning. Sans stood just behind her, watching with a lazy and curious expression. She moved away, a blush spreading over her face as she sent him a half-hearted glare.

"Sans! You scared me! I was just bathing," she explained, her glare falling away as she took a steadying breath. Despite his approach, she was happy to see him. Maybe he'd stick around for a while, again. She'd feel so much better if he did.

"I _sea_. How was the water? Seems cold, if you catch my _drift._ " Evelynne furrowed her brows before catching his mischievous stare. She followed his gaze downward before her blush deepened, jaw dropping as she brought her arms up to cover her chest. She hadn't even thought about..Why had he noticed in the first place? A million questions popped up in her head. Did skeleton monsters know anything about human anatomy? Obviously, as he just demonstrated. Evelynne felt her face burning under his gaze and she shuffled awkwardly, realizing she'd been silent for just a little too long.

"O-oh, well, you know how much I love to just... _chill_ out," she responded, hoping to distract him with their now-normal pun battle. It was almost mandatory, now, that they trade puns. She certainly didn't mind. It was a good alternative to having to explain away her body's reaction to cold. He took the bait, and she could see the hints of a smirk pulling at his expression.

"Are you _shore_? You're looking a little _washed up_."

"Your puns are really _shallow._ "

"Don't let it _dampen_ your spirits." Evelynne laughed, rolling her eyes and feeling the tension and embarrassment leave her. At least it was Sans who had found her, and not anyone else. Regardless, the stubborn blush stayed as a light dusting on her cheeks. Afterall, she was still almost naked in front of him.

"I'll try not to. What are you doing here?" She asked, quickly throwing his hoodie on and zipping it as she spoke, once again thankful for its length. When she looked back up, a familiar bag was dangling in front of her face. She gasped, reaching up and taking it from his grip to set it on the ground in front of her. "How did you find this?" She tore it open, digging through the small front pocket where Frisk occasionally kept the phone.

"Pap tried to call ya. He was worried when you didn't answer," Sans responded, shrugging as he watched her. She took out the device and smashed the button to turn it on, seeing the screen light up with several notifications.

"Twenty-seven calls?"

"And some, uh, texts, I think." Evelynne flipped through the notifications, ignoring the voicemails and going straight for the texts as she frowned.

The Great Papyrus: 6:37pm -FRIENDS! IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING MY CALLS. IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT?-

The Great Papyrus: 6:38pm -PLEASE CALL ME BACK WHEN YOU RECEIVE MY MESSAGES! I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU!-

The Great Papyrus: 6:38pm -I HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT HOW YOU CAN MAKE FRIENDS WITH UNDYNE.-

The Great Papyrus: 6:40pm -PLEASE CALL BACK SOON.-

Evelynne bit her lip, searching through at least ten more texts -in all caps- before reaching the last one.

The Great Papyrus: 6:53pm -WORRY NOT, FRIENDS! IF SANS CANNOT FIND YOU, THEN I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL SEARCH FOR YOU AND SAVE YOU FROM PERIL!-

"We didn't mean to lose the bag," Evelynne explained, shutting the phone off and shoving it back in the bag with a mental note to call Papyrus as soon as possible. "Undyne found us and...well, long story short, she chased us and we fell…" Evelynne looked back up at him sheepishly, but his expression remained blank. "We'll call Papyrus before moving forward. Thank you so much for bringing back our bag...but…" Evelynne met his gaze, her own stare intense. "How did you know where to find us?"

"Lucky guess." The answer was too quick and, she was certain, a complete lie. But she chose not to push it. Instead, she bent down and gathered her clothes, throwing the bag over her shoulder before turning back toward him. He held a hand out to her, causing her to pause and stare at him questioningly. Did he want to help her?

"I don't-"

"Not so close to Frisk, you said." She froze, eyes widening as she immediately understood what he wanted.

"Sans, I don't think it's a good idea," she pleaded, shaking her head and stepping back. He followed, his eyes shifting. His right pupil faded and his left became a blue iris, magic electrifying the air around them. She shivered at the feeling, the familiarity still baffling. She wanted to feel his magic, but the effect was immediate. Her own magic was pulsing, waiting to push his back.

"I won't hurt you," he assured, and Evelynne almost laughed. She knew that. She knew he was just curious. She was, too, but...

"I'm scared," she admitted softly, though she hesitantly reached out with her right hand. He waited patiently, even as she hovered just above his hand. She knew he didn't need her to take his hand. He could have forced his magic on her until she reacted. He was asking for her consent. He wanted her trust. Finally, she grasped it softly, and his bony fingers wrapped around her hand firmly.

She could feel the buzz of magic under her skin as she stood waiting for the inevitable pull. She looked up at him, staring into his eye sockets as she felt the familiar tugging. The cool sensation approached her as the world around them blurred. And then it happened. Her magic spiked, shooting through her. Sans's grip on her hand tightened as they were surrounded in darkness, his brows knitting as he fought her resistance. Had she not been clutching her clothing to her chest, she would have reached out with her other hand to hold on to him. Instead, she stood rigid, fighting to keep her breath even as her magic forced its way out of her in increasingly strong waves. His own had gone from cool and gentle to forceful, and she could see the confusion on his face as he fought against her. A pounding began in her chest, and she realized that her heart rate was increasing rapidly. She opened her mouth to tell Sans to stop, but a wave of dizziness hit her and she squeezed her eyes shut tight, fighting against the urge to fall to her knees. Could she fall, here? Was she standing? Where were they? She opened her eyes again, gasping at the sight before her. His image was blurring, and Evelynne thought she was passing out, watching as he faded from her view for a moment before she was suddenly back in waterfall, looking around with confusion. All sensations of magic were gone, except for a residual tingling through her limbs. She breathed rapidly, her ragged breaths tearing at her throat and irritating her lungs. Sans was nowhere to be found, leaving her in the dark hallway alone.

"Sans?" She called tentatively, squinting through the dim light. No response. No sound. It was so silent. Evelynne felt a shiver run through her, and she wrapped her arms around herself to combat the icy cold that had surrounded her. Looking down, she found herself back in her hospital gown.

Oh.

Another nightmare? Again, about the Underground? Or was it...a vision? Had she passed out? She wouldn't be surprised. The feeling of her magic was getting pretty intense….was Sans okay? She hoped so. She wouldn't be able to live with the knowledge that her decision had caused his injury...or worse…Evelynne brushed the thought away, taking a deep breath. She might as well move forward. Maybe whatever was going to happen in this nightmare would find her sooner if she did, and she'd be able to wake up. She forced her legs to work, fighting away her fear. It was just a nightmare. She wouldn't be hurt. Right? Of course not.

Evelynne moved back toward Napstablook's house, looking around as she went. Everything seemed normal...there was no dust flying around...would she see Sans again, in this nightmare? Would he attack her? She furrowed her brows as she tried to understand what her dreams were telling her. Why would she dream about that, anyway? And Papyrus…She had watched Papyrus turn to dust in her nightmare before she had read about monster deaths it in the library. What sort of coincidence was that? What was really happening, here?

Before she knew it, she was staring at the wooden door to the ghost's house, frozen in place with rising anxiety. It was still silent, but the door sat just slightly ajar, like it had when she and Frisk had first arrived. There were no lights...It just seemed empty and cold. She shivered again, suppressing the urge to cry. It felt so wrong, here.

She wanted to wake up.

Goosebumps rose on her body as she reached out and pushed the door open, the creaking fraying her nerves farther. The door continued on its own, hitting the wall with a soft _thunk_ that rang through the empty space in front of her. She took a step forward, standing just barely in the doorway before scanning the room. It was hard to see anything, but she had a good feeling no one was home.

"Hello?" She called softly, immediately regretting her actions as her voice echoed in the room. Silence greeted her, and she was more than happy to turn around and walk out, except a familiar ghost was floating behind her. Her heart skipped and she screamed, regardless of the fact that her brain had already registered that it was Napstablook. She began coughing almost immediately, holding up a hand to the equally stunned ghost in front of her. "I…'m sorry," she choked out, forcing herself to breathe slowly. "You scared me!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Oh no...I just….I thought you were the human…" Evelynne looked up with furrowed brows, sucking in breath slowly.

"The...human?"

"Alphys called...everyone's leaving…" Evelynne stepped forward toward the moaning ghost as he continued, her heart beating hard in her chest. The more he spoke, the harder it was for her to focus. A human killing all the monsters they passed? Was...was it her? Was she a murderer, in this nightmare? "Oh, I should go…"

"Wait!" Evelynne reached out, but Napstablook had already faded with a whispered 'sorry,' leaving her alone in the eerie silence. She shivered, suddenly filled with apprehension. The urge to hide in Napstablook's house hit her like a brick, leaving her standing rigid in the doorway. When would she wake up? She wished Sans would just pour water on her. That would definitely wake her up, right?

Evelynne jumped as a scream tore through the silence, and she stepped back into the dark house, shutting the door as quickly and as quietly as she could. She pressed up against the wall, shaking as she listened. No more screams, no sounds. The darkness in the house had been frightening at first, but now it was comforting. She was safe here, wasn't she? No one would look in here, right? But what if they did? She moved farther into the room, her body tense and her senses on alert. What if someone was hiding in here? What if-

The door slammed open and Evelynne jumped, the scream dying in her throat as she stared at a small figure in the dim light from outside. A child…

Frisk?

Evelynne resisted the urge to call out to her, choosing to sink farther into the shadows. Something told her this wasn't Frisk. It might have been the rigid posture, or the knife in their hand. Evelynne squinted at the object, jaw dropping in horror. She was trapped in the house with a murderer. She backed up slowly, quietly, until her back was pressed up against the wall. Even then, she slid slowly to the left until she was in the far corner, praying that the darkness would keep her safe.

The tiny person moved forward, turning slowly as if searching for any sign of life in the tiny home. Evelynne could only hope that her rapid and violent heart beat was inaudible, but she knew her breathing definitely wasn't. She pushed her hand against her mouth, hoping to quiet her gasping breaths as the figure stepped closer, and closer….

The knife in their hand dropped only a second before they did, falling the their knees before a sob ripped through them. Evelynne stood frozen as the sound rang through the room, followed by sniffling.

"Chara, stop! Please!" It was Frisks voice! Evelynne took a sharp, deep breath. Chara? Who was Chara? Reacting to the child's pained gasps, she felt herself take a step forward. "I don't want to hurt them anymore...I don't want this…."

"F-Frisk? Is that you?" She asked tentatively, taking another step forward. The figure stilled, however, causing her to freeze as well. Silence hung heavily in the air between them before Frisk began laughing, softly at first before becoming hysterical. The icy fear returned, and Evelynne suddenly found herself running toward the door, trying to rush around the child…

A hand wrapped around her ankle, and she was suddenly crashing downwards, landing painfully onto the wooden floor. Her chest ached with her breaths as she turned and kicked frantically, hoping to shake off the manic child's hold.

"Frisk? Is that you?" They mocked, but it was no longer in Frisk's voice. This voice was deeper, and seemed to have two tones. It was almost...demonic. Evelynne pushed herself over so that she was laying on her back, kicking and looking back at Frisk. A crooked smile and red eyes stared back at her, and she screamed again, ignoring the burning in her throat as she scrambled against the floor. Their other hand held the knife high above their head, and they continued to laugh at her as they lifted it higher and higher…

"Ev! Evelyne! Come on…" Evelynne closed her eyes as the knife came down, her throat burning as she kept screaming. She felt like she was being shaken, and it took a few minutes to realize that was exactly what was happening. Her eyes cracked open to meet with the dark eye sockets of a certain skeleton, his hands gripping her shoulders as she screamed at his face. Her arms shot up on their own, hands pressing against his chest and pushing him back forcefully. Scrambling backwards, she grasped her throat as if feeling for the cut before turning to her side and away from him. She coughed and sobbed, curling in on herself as she trembled. Staring blankly at the ground, she focused on her breaths. In, slowly, out, try not to cough. Tears streamed down her face as she coached herself, trying hard to ignore the images flashing through her mind of knives and creepy smiles.

It felt like hours as she tried to calm herself before finally stopping her shaking, tears drying on her cheeks and small coughs escaping her every now and again. Her throat felt ruined; raw from screaming and coughing. Her clothes and the bag sat just in her line of sight, scattered on the ground just out of reach. She stared at it, finding comfort in the familiar items. No hospital gown. There was no hospital gown. It was just a nightmare, right?

...right?

Evelynne soon found herself turning onto her back, staring up at the rock ceiling in silence. Was Sans still there? She didn't care. She didn't want him to touch her ever again. Not if it caused that. His magic….was he causing her nightmares? Evelynne opened her mouth to speak, but the increased speed of her inhale immediately irritated her throat, and she firmly closed her mouth to avoid another cough. She could figure that out later. Now…

Should she get up? She didn't want to. The ground was hard and cool, and she was almost naked….but she didn't want to get up. The last thing she wanted to do was get up. The choice was made for her, however, when shuffling approached her and a bony hand appeared in her line of sight. Her eyes flicked to the right, observing Sans blankly. He didn't look worried or upset. He held his blank grin, one hand in his jacket pocket as he waited for her. She wondered if he would stay there all day, waiting for her to take his offer. She turned her head away from him, looking back toward her clothes before letting out a slow sigh and forcing herself to turn onto her side, pushing herself up shakily. If Sans was offended, he didn't show it. Instead, he seemed to watch her carefully. He was analyzing her again, she realized.

Quietly she picked up her clothes and the bag, waiting tensely for the question. What did she see? Why was she screaming? Wasn't he going to ask? But just like last time, he didn't. He waited for her to move first, walking beside her as she made her way back slowly to Napstablook's house. Was he waiting for her to speak first? Maybe he'd know something? Evelynne opened her mouth in an attempt to say something, but was cut off before she could create a sound.

"We won't do that again." Evelynne looked over at him, but he didn't meet her gaze. Had he seen something, as well? He didn't look as if anything were wrong…but then again, he wasn't showing anything at all. Maybe that in itself meant something was wrong. Had her magic hurt him? She couldn't remember feeling it completely lash out, but had something happened while she was in the nightmare? She grimaced, looking back up the path. So many questions were running through her mind, but she didn't ask them. He didn't seem in the mood for conversation, and she could relate. They could wait, just like all of the other questions. If she came back, she could ask him. But now...She'd wake Frisk, encourage her to bathe, and then move on. She had no clue how much longer they had to travel, but she knew they had to keep going. It was all they could do. Keep going, ignore her magic, and try not to die. Easy, right?

Right?

* * *

Shout Outs to these wonderful people for reviewing and making me feel like not a failure:

 **MistressofDawn1990, AngelofRandomosity, Slyr3x, WandererRaen, AmbiguousTardigrade, Awesomeness-sama, Kajimei, Prince, Kagayaku Hoshi-chan, StargladesTime,** and someone who just called themself 'guest.'

Really, I'm so relieved you all liked the last chapter, and reading your reviews was so fun!

 **Responses below~**

 **-So** when I was an early writer, still finding myself and such, I had a bad habit of writing like...seven stories at the same time, all for different fandoms. Two years ago I stopped writing all stories completely and started a new one. My Skyrim story, which has until recently been my biggest success as a writer in this community. When I played Undertale, I couldn't help but write this story. I literally. Couldn't. Help. But write a story. I love it so much...I've never been so in love with a game. Or a book. Or a movie. It's insane. That being said, my main project is still Skyrim, which takes over my summers. That story takes a lot of research into lore and a lot of planning. If you've ever played TES games, you probably understand why. This game, however...and particularly this character...there's a lot of speculation still flying around. While Toby Fox may still reveal a lot of puzzle pieces, which is infuriating to think about when you're writing a story based on what theories currently seem the most accurate to you, I have to accept that this is what I've chosen. That being said...if you read my A/N at the beginning, I didn't plan for this story. I'm not doing much planning aside from the main arch. Bad practice, if I say so myself. But, it's so much less pressure. It's also why I'm so insecure about whether or not everyone will like it! Either way, it's fun to write, and I don't see myself 'leaving it in the dust!'

 **-I** do worry too much! But I fight perfectionist tendencies in my daily life! Not to mention, I know what it's like to read a story that starts REALLY GOOD and then just...falls flat. I don't want that to happen with my stories, and so I put WAYYYY too much pressure on myself! But don't worry. Even when I think a chapter sucks, I really do still have fun writing it! Really, a filler chapter to me is one where I don't add TOO much relevant information to the story. Her soul cracked, and that's important. But the Dummy...that was me just including one of my favorite scenes ;) ...andI'mgladyoulikedtheV-dayfic:D:D:D

 **-Dirt** nap made me chuckle, haha. Honestly, I'm a sucker for things most people don't find funny. Like Puns. I wish I had a friend like Sans to tell me puns all day.

 **-I** would like to write Sans more ;) But I'm trying to stay true to who he is. Yeah, there will be times he goes OOC most likely, but that's the nature of putting a character in a romance whom I have trouble imagining in one. Hence the slow progression...I'll figure it out haha.

 **Okay, that's enough rambling.** Really, thank you everyone so much for leaving reviews. I really love reading them. If you haven't found me on Tumblr yet, do it! I post the chapter updates there (which you'll probably see before FFNet sends the email because let's be honest here...jk FFNet eyeluvyoo) but if I get more followers, I might actually use it as a blog. Regardless, it's a great way to communicate with you guys. AO3 allows me to reply directly to comments as a thread. I love that.

If you have any questions/want to submit art/want to talk to me as a person, I'm totally down for that! On Tumblr! Leave me an ask and I'll get straight to it!

I love you all, you're all amazing, and I'll try to make sure the next chappie is better! ILYA, SYANU!


	23. Gerson

**A/N:** Okay. Another chapter that was hard to get out, but it's here. I spent all of yesterday and today figuring it out, and deleted/rewrote it like seven times.

I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. With midterms and concerts, I really didn't have the time. I don't know how the rest of this semester is going to go, either, but I'm still going to write when I can, because writing is relaxing.

I'm so grateful for everyone's kind words, really. I'm okay, and I'll always be okay, but sometimes things are rough. But no need to worry :) You're all wonderful people!

I hope you enjoy this new chapter! If not, I can always try again. - My new personal mantra when I'm posting something I think is bad. Haha

* * *

She couldn't stop thinking about it.

It all seemed so real. She had felt the pain as she fell to the ground, and the terror was so sharp, so vivid…

She could remember the entire thing. If Sans hadn't left so quickly, maybe she would have gathered the courage to ask. Would he know what she saw? Looking down at the child walking beside her, she bit her lip. Who was Chara? She moved to ask the question when suddenly Frisk stopped walking, pointing forward and looking up at her expectantly. Evelynne paused, pushing her thoughts to the side and following her direction. Frisk had no idea about the dreams or visions...or whatever they were. If she could help it, she'd never tell her. That was something the girl shouldn't have to worry about. Afterall, it was Evelynne's problem.

"Another shop? All the way out here?" She muttered, squinting at the little sign next to an archway. She couldn't imagine why anyone would set up a shop in the middle of this silent, lifeless area. Even Sans had confirmed they wouldn't find trouble anytime soon. Perhaps the shop was abandoned? Evelynne stood stock still, a sudden feeling of apprehension appearing as she stared into the dark archway. Turning, she attempted to move away, fully planning on avoiding the store, when a hard tug pulled her back. Frisk was looking up at her with confusion for only a moment before taking the lead and pulling Evelynne behind her. "Wait, Frisk, it might be dangerous!" She hissed, eyes wide as Frisk's grip on her hand tightened. The child wasn't letting go any time soon, and she considered pulling back. Frisk may be confident, but they had walked straight into dangerous situations before. Brows furrowing, Evelynne looked down at their joined hands.

Sure, Frisk knew how to handle most of the monsters. But wasn't it at Frisk's direction that they had found themselves at the mercy of Undyne, and then an angry, homicidal dummy? Wasn't it Frisk's fault they were down here in the first place? Sure, she didn't have to follow her up the mountain, but who wouldn't try to save a child? Evelynne shook her head. No, that wasn't fair. But Frisk's confidence hadn't waved this entire time. Looking back up, Evelynne stared at the back of the girl's head, the clean brown locks swaying gently with her movements.

Should she continue to just blindly follow a child? Didn't her feelings matter, at all? Shouldn't she listen to her gut? Evidently not, as she was pulled through the dark hallway that opened up to a small cavern. The walls and ceiling were littered with crystals that reflected the light of a single lantern, making the room light up in a way that was nothing short of magical. Blues and purples and silvers shone and reflected, all illuminating a stone counter covered in miscellaneous items. Behind it stood a new monster.

He resembled a large sea turtle, wearing adventurer clothing and large spectacles. He grinned at them much in a way that reminded her of a kooky old grandpa, some of his yellowing teeth crooked or missing. His grayish-green beard was thin and long, matching his bushy eyebrows above his yellow and black eyes. The hat on top of his head looked as if it would fall off any second, and Evelynne decided that this monster was very old. Her theory was confirmed when he opened his mouth to greet them, wrinkles appearing and disappearing over his face as he spoke.

"Hello there! I've got some neat junk for sale! Care to have a look?" Evelynne felt her jaw drop at his old fragile voice, and looked down sheepishly at Frisk, who had been watching her with a raised eyebrow. How was it that Frisk was so sure when an area was safe? It was no longer a coincidence. Too many things weren't adding up, and she was determined to know what was really happening here.

"Uhm, sure. Do you have any armor, maybe?" Evelynne asked, letting go of Frisk's hand to move forward. The turtle raised one eyebrow, gesturing down at the counter.

"Do you see any armor, girl?" A blush dusted her cheeks as she looked down and confirmed that, no, she didn't see any armor. She wondered if she should defend herself, but decided to drop it. Who ever won arguments with old people, anyway? She reached forward, picking up what looked like an old, sour apple. It was a sickly green color that was soft in several places, and her face scrunched up in response as her thumb found a squishy part of the skin.

"Uhh...so, this is the only food item you have?" She asked, putting it back on the counter and discreetly wiping her hand off on her jeans. The slimy sensation remained, despite her efforts, and she groaned inwardly.

"Well, what are you looking for!" He asked, raising a magnifying glass to his eye and cackling. Maybe this shop wasn't that safe, afterall. This monster didn't seem all that put together.

"Well, I don't really know…" The turtle suddenly reached out and grabbed what looked to be a tiny white cup on a tiny white plate. A tea cup? As he placed it in front of her, quite roughly, she noticed it was filled with a thick greenish-brown substance. It had barely moved.

"I'd give that a try, if I were you! Finest sea tea in all of the Underground!" He laughed again, and Evelynne raised a brow at his comment. Sea tea?

"What...is it?" She asked hesitantly, hoping her question wouldn't anger him. It looked disgusting. It was obviously very thick, looking more like gross pudding than tea. It looked briney, as well. Was that seaweed, on top?

"I just told you! Sea tea! Homemade, with only the finest ingredients! And," he leaned forward, as if about to share some great secret, and Evelynne mirrored his actions with confusion. "It'll help you move faster, for some time!" He leaned back, but she remained, frozen in her confusion. "How do you think an old monster like me gets around!" He laughed heartily as she leaned back, looking down at a shrugging Frisk before sighing. If the magic made them move faster, it would be useful should they see Undyne in the future. "Eighteen Gold, if you're interested!" She shrugged, looking down at Frisk expectantly as the child dug through her bag. A pouch of gold was produced, and Evelynne took it carefully. She had no clue how much gold they actually had, but they could spare eighteen coins, right? She counted carefully as she drew each coin out before handing them to the turtle. "Thanks!" He laughed again, pushing the tea towards her. Frisk collected it, and took the gold pouch back as Evelynne turned to ask more questions. Afterall, this monster didn't seem too bad. Yet.

"So, are you here all the time? If we needed to sell something for gold, could we come back?" Her question was met with a sharp bark of a laugh.

"I'm trying to get rid of my junk, not get more of it!" He laughed some more, and Evelynne frowned. Was he trying to make her feel stupid? It was working. "I've heard if you want to sell stuff, the Temmie Village is your best bet!"

"Temmie Village... I haven't heard of that place before. Where is it?" At her question, the old turtle paused, looking thoughtful for a moment before his grin returned full force.

"I don't remember!" Evelynne huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Just how old are you?" She asked, the words escaping her before her filter could catch them. Immediately her eyes widened, hands flying up to cover her mouth. The monster looked at her in stunned silence for almost a moment, and she knew she messed up. Old or not, he was still a monster. He would kill her, surely. How rude! How could she have just asked that! Evelynne opened her mouth to spout apologies, but before she could even inhale, the turtle was laughing hysterically.

"You're a fiery one! The name's Gerson. I've been around for a long time. Maybe too long! Studying history sure is easy when you've lived through so much of it yourself!" He chuckled at that, and Evelynne slowly relaxed. That could have gone so much worse.

"Uhm...I'm Evelynne. You're a historian?" She asked lightly, her curiosity peaked. Maybe he could answer some of her questions. "Would you mind if I asked you some questions?"

"If you don't mind keeping an old turtle company, then ask!" He laughed again, and Evelynne wondered if he was just another lonely monster, or if this really was his personality. Was he hiding something too?

"Well...I don't really know where the start…" Evelynne suddenly stopped, a familiar image springing forward in her mind. She did know where to start. "What about the symbol I see everywhere. It's all over, on plaques and clothes.."

"Eh! You don't know what that is? What are they teaching you kids in school nowadays?" He laughed, and Evelynne gave a nervous chuckle. He didn't know they were humans, either, it seemed. "That's the Delta Rune, the emblem of our kingdom. The Kingdom," he paused, gaze becoming intense. "...of Monsters." Silence fell between them, tense and heavy, until suddenly he burst out laughing. "Great name, huh? It's as I always said," he started, wiping a tear from his eye. "Ol' King Fluffybuns can't name for beans!"

...King Fluffybuns? Evelynne resisted the urge to ask about the nickname. Afterall, it matched the description she'd heard from others. Big, soft, fluffy.

What was so wrong with 'The Kingdom of Monsters,' anyway? It made sense. Maybe naming an area 'Home' was a little strange, but why bother with anything over the top when he surely had other things to worry about?

Like the banishment of his people.

"So...that's all? It's just what represents the kingdom? It's not mentioned in any detail in the books I've read..."

"Oh ho ho! That emblem actually predates written history! The original meaning has been lost to time." Predates history? Evelynne's mind kicked into overdrive. Just how old was the race? How long had they been trapped underground? Obviously long before her own birth. But even so….She suddenly realized how strange it was that their history was recorded on scattered stone plaques throughout Waterfall…"All we know is that the triangles symbolize us monsters below, and the winged circle above symbolizes….something else. Most people say it's the 'angel,' from the prophecy." Evelynne felt her heart stop at the mention of an angel, her strange encounter rushing to the front of her mind.

He had called her 'angel'...

"What about this prophecy? What's it say?" She asked quickly, intensely focused on the conversation now. He gave her an odd look for a moment, catching on to her out-of-place enthusiasm, but thankfully seemed to brush it off.

"Legend has it, an 'angel' who has seen the surface will descend from above and bring us freedom." Evelynne felt her jaw drop, and quickly worked to fix it. Did that strange monster think she was this 'angel?'

...Did he try to create the angel? Why did he think it was her? She suddenly wished she had a journal to keep track of all the information overloading her brain. He had called her his 'creation,' hadn't he?

"Lately, the people have been taking a bleaker outlook...Calling that winged circle the 'Angel of Death." Evelynne looked back up at him, brows furrowed in both surprise and concern. "A harbinger of destruction, waiting to free us from this mortal realm." Bleak outlook for sure. Evelynne shivered at the thought. No wonder humans were thought dangerous. Maybe the monsters thought they would act as that version of the angel? What did Sans and Papyrus think? "In my opinion, when I see that little circle…" Evelynne watched him carefully, the tension inside of her rising as she waited for his opinion. "I just think it looks neat!" He laughed heartily, and she felt herself deflate. She couldn't help but be thankful for his strange attitude.

Deciding she had heard enough of this prophecy, she moved on to her next question, filing the information for later scrutiny. "Well, what about the king? What can you tell me about him? I've never met him."

"King Fluffybuns?" The old turtle looked happy to be talking about the king, looking as though he had a thousand stories to tell. Maybe he did. "He's a friendly, happy-go-lucky kind of guy...If you keep walking around long enough, you'll probably meet him. He loves to walk around and talk to people." Evelynne couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Everything she'd heard about the king conflicted greatly with Toriel's warnings. "Want to know why I call King Dreemurr 'Fluffybuns? It's a great story! I-...oh. I don't remember it. But...if you come back late, I'm sure I'll remember it by then!" He laughed, and Evelynne looked down at the counter with a thoughtful expression. How evil could someone be, if their nickname was Fluffybuns?

But…

"What about Undyne?" Evelynne asked quietly, looking up at him carefully. His eyes flashed with recognition and his expression became thoughtful as he nodded.

"Undyne? Yeah, she's a local hero around here. Through grit and determination alone, she fought her way to the top of the Royal Guard." He stopped, narrowing his eyes for a moment. "Actually, she just came through here asking about someone who looked just like you." Evelynne froze, a look of horror crossing her features. Undyne was close? And here she was, chatting with some crazy old turtle monster. Was he going to help Undyne? Evelynne reached down and grabbed at Frisk's hand, taking a step back, but the turtle just laughed. It sounded far different from his other laughs. "I'd watch your back, kid. And buy some items...it might just save your hide!" He laughed again, more heartily, and she could swear the room temperature dropped a few degrees. She turned carefully, heart racing as she pulled Frisk behind her. They had to leave. "Be careful out there, kids!" She didn't respond, instead moving faster to get away from him. Dangerous or not, they had to find someplace else to hide, and soon. Someplace safe. She was getting tired of all this.

Frisk allowed Evelynne to pull her quickly through more dark hallways, lit only by the glowing Echo Flowers as they moved in silence. The air was tense, and Evelynne was jumping at every sound she heard, scanning the darkness for a flash of cyan. It was an uneventful yet exhausting walk, but eventually Frisk pulled back, prompting Evelynne to stop and turn with wide eyes. Seeing nothing behind them, she looked down at Frisk with confusion. The child was pointing at the wall and staring at her with an unreadable expression, and Evelynne looked to the right to observe another set of plaques.

"We don't have time to stop and read those. We have to keep moving." She said, pulling on Frisk's hand again. However, Frisk frowned and pulled back hard, determined as she pointed at the signs again. Confusion clouded Evelynne's mind. Why did it matter to her, so much? Was it really necessary that she read these signs? Evidently so, as Frisk refused to budge. With a sigh and a quick glance at their surroundings, Evelynne moved toward the wall to read the plaques.

She was glad she did.

"Seven human souls to break the barrier…" She muttered, looking down at Frisk. She'd heard talk of this soul business around Snowdin. She couldn't recall much of the conversation, and at the time had been eavesdropping from quite a distance. Did they have any souls? Had they killed the others before them? How many humans had Toriel let through the ruins?

Why did the plaque say no humans could enter the Underground? Why were they able to without any problem? Perhaps her magic had interrupted the barrier, but even so….that didn't explain Frisk, or any other humans that had fallen before.

"I still don't completely understand," she finally said, turning toward Frisk. The child always seemed to watch her carefully, after reading the plaques, and this time was no different. Did Frisk know the details of their history? "But the pieces are starting to fit together. At least...now I think I know why Toriel was so hesitant to let us go." She sighed, ignoring the urge to turn and run back to the goat woman. Their souls were on the line, here. Evelynne was suddenly reminded of her earlier train of thought, looking down at the child who seemed so aware...Would it be a rude request, if…."Frisk, you know more about this than I do. I've accepted that. I've also accepted that you won't tell me why," Evelynne turned away from Frisk for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. "But...can you at least warn me? If you know something bad is going to happen. Can you do something?" Evelynne pleaded, meeting the child's gaze. Frisk looked guilty, their eyes suddenly shining with moisture. Did Frisk really know everything? Was she psychic? Or…

Evelynne didn't want to think about all the possibilities. There were too many. Growing up with magic, she had learned quickly that the impossible could be possible. That meant that there were possibly a million reasons Frisk knew exactly what was happening. And those odds were troubling.

Frisk squeezed Evelynne's hand, pulling her from her thoughts as she watched the child nod. Good. The promise was made. She smiled half-heartedly, taking a deep breath. At least now, she would be able to prepare herself.

"Okay," she breathed, letting the tension fall from her shoulders. "Okay." She turned, still holding Frisk's hand, and continued forward, confident in their preparation. Everything would be okay.

Or she thought. But she felt her confidence fall as they reached the next area. "What…" she stared at the small path, narrow and completely surrounded by darkness. The path itself seemed to glow just enough to be seen, like blue stepping stones leading to what looked to be a small group of glowing blue mushrooms. It was so dark, and Evelynne hesitated. Luckily, Frisk took the lead, moving forward to carefully lead Evelynne on to the path. Was there just a black void, on both sides? If she misstepped, would she fall forever? Evelynne tried to control the panic rising inside of her as she followed Frisk, keeping her eyes forward and watching as Frisk touched the mushrooms.

The fungus glowed brighter in response to her touch, and another path nearby lit up. It seemed to be a puzzle, but Evelynne didn't care to follow, far too busy trying to focus on even breaths and stable footing. The path wasn't narrow, but the longer she stared down at her feet, the smaller it looked, until suddenly it was gone, replaced by a stable dirt path. Evelynne breathed out her tension, sending a grateful smile to Frisk before looking up…

Only to see strange...vibrating...cats? High pitched squealing and nasally voices reached her ears as a commotion took place a little further down the hall, and she squinted in response.

Whatever they were, they didn't seem to notice them, and Evelynne looked down at Frisk with an exasperated expression before shaking her head and turning. She'd walk the damn path alone if she had to, but she was not dealing with...whatever those were. Surprisingly, Frisk didn't pull her back, instead moving forward to lead Evelynne down a new path. Short and straight, this one led to another, darker area. So dark, in fact, Evelynne couldn't see anything, except for a single lantern lighting a plaque. With careful, slow steps, Evelynne edged her way closer to the plaque, gripping Frisk's hand tightly.

"Without candles or magic to guide them home, the monsters used crystals to navigate…" Evelynne turned to look back into the darkness. At first, she saw nothing, until her eyes adjusted...and suddenly, lines of purple met her gaze. Large, dark, glowing crystals protruded beside what she assumed was their path….lighting the way just barely…

Evelynne looked down at Frisk, who watched her with a curious gaze. She was waiting to see if Evelynne would move first. Smiling in response, Evelynne squeezed her hand and move forward, eyes scanning for the purple glow. They had to move forward.

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Okay, here are the shout-outs and responses!

 **Kajimei, Random Reader, WandererRaen, MistressofDawn1990, Angel of Randomosity, LainaFantasyGirl, Kagayaku Hoshi-Chan, Anonymoose, StargladesTime, AmbiguousTardigrade, Prince, Isidrio,** and **sklyaeatpie**!

That's a pretty big list. Thank you guys so much for your support!

Seriously, you're kind words mean so much to me! I'm so glad you all liked the last chapter, and it warmed my heart to see a few of you reaching out and telling me that my existence matters, and that everything will be okay :) Thank you, all of you 3

BUT! Don't be afraid to share your enthusiasm! *CoughStargladesTimeCough* Seriously, I LOVE it that the update drove you to such a passionate review ;) Really, I loved reading it! Don't worry about coming across harsh, you're totally fine!

Unfortunately, Sans had a little too much on his mind, and opted not the way the girls further. But, ya know, he'll come back ;)

You guys aren't just random readers. I cherish the reviews you all leave me, especially those of you who tend to leave me one often/every chapter. It means the world to me that you read this story, like it, AND take the time to leave a comment. You're all like family! :D Okay maybe that's pushing it. But friends, definitely. I look forward to reading reviews, and it really brightens my day when I read them. (Especially long ones ;) haha)

Really, though, I appreciate all of you. I don't want you guys to feel like random people, which is why I created the tumblr (which admittedly is getting very little use) but I firmly believe that the arts (lol I'm a music major) act as a connection for humans. Writing, photography, music, dance, visual arts, it's all a connection, yes? An expression of our inner selves for the world to see, in one way or another. An opportunity for open interpretation and connection. Anyway...I'll stop before I go on too long about that nonsense. You get my point. I LOVE ALL OF YOU! SYANU!


	24. Friends

**A/N:** Okay. I know this one is super short. It's a bit of a...throw away? I've been swamped with work, but the good news is that my senior recital is over! It went very well, and my recital partner and I were told numerous times that it was the best recital of the semester :D Quite the compliment! Anyway, now I just have to get through finals, but I wanted to update and let you guys know that I AM ALIVE and will be continuing. This is just a tiny update. Most of it has been written for months, so I sorta tacked on the end of it and decided to post it. Regardless, I hope it adds something enjoyable!

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Another bridge. What was with all of these damn bridges?

Evelynne didn't pay any mind to the coughing. It was violent, and hurt, but she had other matters to attend to. Frisk was running in front of her, already halfway across the bridge.

If it weren't for that kid, Undyne would have…The spear was so close…

Evelynne and Frisk had been running since their escape, hoping to lose Undyne, or find a place to hide. It felt like a crime, running past those echo flowers without listening to their tale, or reading the single plaque in that hall. Frisk hadn't even urged her to stop, this time.

She slowed to a crawl as her foot connected with the wood of the bridge, feeling dizzy from the lack of oxygen. Her coughs were making her feel unbalanced, and she stopped entirely as her entire body lurched with their intensity. Were they getting worse? She forced herself to keep going forward, missing Frisk's look of intense concern from the other end of the bridge. Almost there…

"Yo!" Evelynne froze, doing her best to breathe slow and avoid more coughs as she turned slowly. The kid was running toward them, but stopped when he reached the bridge. She stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Should she turn and run, pushing Frisk forward? If the kid was here, Undyne was close by, right? Her heart pounded in her chest, her body tense in preparation. The kid skidded to a stop, just three feet away from her, panting for a moment to catch his breath. "I know I'm not supposed to be here, but I wanna ask you something." Hesitant, Evelynne relaxed her shoulders, taking a step back. She bumped lightly against something, and turned her head to find that Frisk had come back to the bridge, standing just behind her. Evelynne cleared her throat, ignoring the burning that followed.

"What is it?" She asked, looking back at the kid. He wouldn't hurt them, right? Was Undyne using him as bait? He seemed to hesitate, looking around as if someone was watching. They should run. Someone else could answer his question, right? Her hands balled into fists at her side.

"Man, I've never had to ask anyone this before," he muttered, kicking the ground nervously. "Umm...Yo, you're humans, right?" He tacked on a nervous laugh, and she was unsure if it was nervousness due to the question, or because of something else…

"Yes," she confirmed shortly, wanting this conversation to be over with as quick as possible. A bridge was the last place she'd want to get cornered.

"Man, I knew it!" He cheered, seeming excited. "Well, I know it now, I mean…Undyne told me, um, 'stay away from those humans,' so, like, um…I guess that makes us enemies or something." Evelynne felt her nails bite into her skin, suddenly unsure of whether or not she could trust the kid. Despite his words, he moved forward with sad eyes, and Evelynne had to fight her instincts just to stay still. He stopped about a foot in front of her, looking down bashfully. "But, I kinda stink at that…Can you...Can you say something mean? So I can hate you?"

Oh.

What is it, the book said? Monster souls are made of compassion and love? Evelynne felt herself melting at the kid's pleading stare. Her body relaxed and she sighed.

"It doesn't have to be that way," she said, kneeling down to be level with him as a frown tugged at her lips. "We don't have to be enemies." The kid shifted his gaze nervously, looking around as if he felt trapped. Frisk suddenly moved from behind her toward the kid, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug that made him freeze and his expression contort into momentary shock.

"Oh...I...but...I guess I have to do it." He pulled back from Frisk, looking at her with intensely concentrated eyes. It was such a strange look on him that Evelynne almost laughed. "Yo, I….I hate your guts!" His tone wasn't very convincing, and his fake glare fell instantly the moment he began speaking. After a moment, he looked back down and sighed. "Man, I...I'm such a turd. I'm...gonna go home now…" He turned without looking at them, pushing forward into a run even as Evelynne called out for him. Halfway across the bridge, however, he tripped.

"No! Hey!" Evelynne pushed forward without a moment of thought, watching in panic as he fell to the side with a yelp. She stopped, closing her eyes as he disappeared, waiting for a scream or the sounds of his tiny body connecting with rocks. But it never came. Instead, her eyes flew open as a plea for help came from just under the bridge.

"Help! I tripped!" And she would have immediately moved forward, were it not for the emerging shadow across the bridge. She stood still in shock for a moment, every fiber of her being telling her to turn and run, but…"Get over here, dude!" She glared at Undyne, stare connecting with the slits in the mask, before running forward and dropping to her knees. She leaned over the bridge carefully, feeling as if one wrong move would send her tumbling into the abyss. She could hear Undyne's every step as she moved forward, and could feel the vibrations of the heavy armor connecting with the old wood under her knees. A tugging on her clothes prompted her to look back, and she found Frisk holding onto the back of her shirt tightly, meeting her eyes with determination in her gaze.

Evelynne leaned over farther and found the kid immediately, his shirt snagged on a sharp rock. He was staring down at the darkness, unmoving in his fear. His shirt tore the slightest bit and his entire body jolted, causing him to yelp out and look up just as she pounced forward, her arms wrapping around his torso. It took her a moment to steady him in her arms before she pulled him up, Frisk using her weight to help the motion. With a strong pull, both girls ended up slamming back against the bridge, the Monster Kid landing across Evelynne's stomach. The breath left Evelynne in one harsh exhale, causing her to drag in a ragged and painful breath. The wood beneath her vibrated as Undyne's heavy footsteps approached slowly, and she barely had time to think before the kid was scrambling off of her.

"Y-y-yo, dude. If...if y-you want to hurt my friends, you're gonna have to get through me, first!" Evelynne pushed herself onto her side, staring at the kid in shock as he stood between her and the terrifying monster clad in heavy metal armor. There was a moment of heavy silence before another step was taken. This step, however, led away from the three of them. More steps followed, until Undyne turned and moved quickly away, disappearing back through the dark tunnel from which they came. Evelynne and the two children sat frozen in shock for what felt like minutes before the monster kid let out a breath. "She's gone." He turned, looking back with as much relief on his face as Evelynne felt. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, looking over her shoulder at a very relieved looking Frisk. "Yo, you really saved my skin."

"You saved ours, too. Thank you," Evelynne responded, working up the best smile she could. She was exhausted, and her chest hurt. When would they be able to relax again? Her thoughts momentarily slipped to the skeleton brothers, and she found herself once again strongly desiring the security they offered.

"Guess being enemies was just a nice thought, huh?" He laughed at his own question, though it was clearly an awkward and uncomfortable gesture. "We'll just have to be friends instead."

"We'd both love to be your friend." Evelynne stood, reaching out toward Frisk. Taking her hand, Frisk nodded and grinned at the monster child though It was strained. Despite the new agreement of friendship, a slight awkwardness still hung in the air, and monster kid shuffled nervously in front of them. Did he feel guilty?

"Man, I should really go home...I bet my parents are worried sick about me! Later, dudes!" With that, he quickly turned and ran in the other direction. Evelynne arched a brow in response, looking down at Frisk.

"He'll be alright, I'm sure," she said, more to convince herself than her companion. Afterall, he did almost fall off a bridge into what looked like a void. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she cleared her throat. "We should keep moving forward. Hopefully Undyne will leave us alone, now…" Frisk looked up at her with a sad expression, but nodded. Whatever was on her mind wasn't voiced, and Evelynne chose not to ask questions. Her exhaustion sunk deeper into her body with every step she took, leading off of the bridge. How far away were they from the exit? At this point, she wasn't sure they would make it.

They had to keep trying. She had to keep going, if only for Frisk. Doing her best to ignore her body's protests, she moved forward, gripping Frisk's hand with a new purpose. Frisk was determined enough to move forward.

How long would she be able to keep up?

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As always, let me know what you thought in a review! Once finals are over, I'll be all over it again! Thank you all for your patience!

SYANU, ILYA!


	25. Final Chase

**A/N: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT SECTION TODAY -**

Okay, so do you ever have one of those chapters where you're like "...This is one for the edits."  
Well, this is it!  
This chapter could be so much better, but I'm rolling with it for now. It was so hard to write, because I wanted to get different information out to you all reading it, and I just can't figure out how to organize it better. That being said, think of this like a...chapter 'sketch,' if you will. I just need to post it, because otherwise I'd sit on this chapter for weeks and lose my motivation. So, as always, tell me what you liked and didn't like, etc! There will be a short wrap up of the events in the next chapter.

In other news...It's my birthday! 23 years of writing and musicking and learning and living. Gosh. I can't believe I'm 23 already. It feels like I should still be in High School. I have one semester of college left and then...I'm an adult D: But I'll be ready! :D

CHAPTER 25 WHOA officially the longest story I've ever written. Ever. It is here. In this place. Existing. I hope it's been a happy 25 chapters for you all! I THINK we're a little more than halfway, but there is a sequel, so don't be saddened (if you even were!) I'm so happy to have you all on this journey with me, and I hope I keep providing quality material for you wonderful readers!

That being said, I do have another story that I only update in the summer, because of the research that goes into it (TES Lore is insane!) so, continue to be patient! Updates will still be slow, but I still love this story! If you're interested, check out my TES story "The Last Snow Elf"

FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT: And a bit of a stupid one. I am in love with some AU's for this fandom, and I'm going to start a more...adult friendly (but still also lore friendly, imo) mini story for Mobtale. It'll update once in a blue moon, but it will exist, so that will be coming up within the next week or two (the intro chapter has been in my head for months) and it'll just be a tiny side-thing and a writing challenge for me (it's not my normal style, anyway.) SO YES! I will let you all know when that comes out. Follow my Tumblr for update notifications!

I'm starting a SONG OF THE DAY per update, as well. So here you are: We'll start easy. This song is what I listened to while I wrote the first half of this chapter. It isssss - Battle Against A True Hero - Toby Fox. GO LISTEN TO THE THING

ENJOY! ^.^

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Evelynne sucked in a deep breath, looking down at the child beside her. Frisk returned her stare, holding her hand with a strength to match her gaze. Her determination could be contagious, sometimes. It almost felt like they could do anything together. But no. She knew that was wrong. It wasn't she that could do anything. It was Frisk. Evelynne nodded at her, a small but tense smile on her lips. They could get out of this, and if she couldn't, Frisk would.

They had six human souls. Evelynne didn't want to think about who killed them, how they were collected, or who the victims were. She didn't want to think about how far they made it, or if they were worthy of death or mercy.

They only needed one more.

"We're ready!" She called up, glaring at the monster above the cave entrance with a surprising amount of intensity for how violently her heart was beating. Her limbs felt like jelly, and she briefly wondered if she would faint. Undyne grinned down at them, revealing her razor sharp teeth. Her helmet had been discarded mere moments ago, revealing a blue scaley face and long crimson hair. One eye was covered by an eyepatch, the other yellow and intense with a vertical black pupil, and both were shaded with red makeup. On the sides of her head were two wide fins stretching thin pink flesh, partially hidden by her thick hair. From atop the cave, she truly looked terrifying, still clad in her heavy armor and holding a glowing blue spear. Her posture screamed confidence.

"That's it, then!" She called down, excitement evident in her tone. Was she excited to collect the last human soul, to be the hero of her kind? Or was she excited to fight? "No more running away! Here I come!" Evelynne and Frisk took large steps back to avoid the spear as Undyne jumped from the top of the cave to the ground, landing crouched in front of them. She immediately straightened, waving her spear menacingly in front of her to point at them. "En guarde!" Evelynne barely felt the pulling sensation with how fast her soul was summoned from her. She looked down briefly, taking note of her soul. Was it the last time she'd see it?

Had the crack in her soul grown?

Undyne quickly waved her spear above her, and suddenly they were surrounded by what looked to be some sort of green barrier. Brows furrowed in confusion, Evelynne resisted the urge to turn and check behind her, assuming that it would be there as well.

"What is this?" She asked quietly, eyes never leaving Undyne. She had expected Frisk to answer, and was surprised when Undyne did so instead.

"As long as you're green, you can't escape!" Evelynne raised an eyebrow at this, confused for only a moment before looking down with a gasp. Her soul had a bright green sheen over it, matching the color of the barrier. Looking over at Frisk, she noted with panic that she had it as well.

Well, so much for Plan B.

"Unless you learn to face danger head-on, you won't last a second against me!" Another wave of her spear, and suddenly smaller spears were flying toward them. With a gasp, Evelynne drug Frisk into her body and pushed to the left, narrowly escaping the flying magical objects. Dodging was becoming more natural, now. She kept her eyes on the next wave of incoming spears, feeling as if time was slowing down just enough for her to make her move, dipping to the right and down, her body covering Frisk's protectively. Her heart continued to hammer against her ribcage.

"Undyne! Please, listen to me!" She began, straightening and watching warily for more spears. "We don't want to fight you!" Undyne growled, throwing an arm out without a response. It was by mere luck that Evelynne saw the blue magic flashing to her left, and she pushed Frisk to the ground as spears flew over their heads. Intuition told her to move immediately, and she quickly rolled away with Frisk in her arms before standing quickly. Spears slammed into the ground from above. They were coming from everywhere.

"For years, we've dreamed of a happy ending." Undyne muttered quietly, glaring with an intensity that nearly left Evelynne breathless. Did she really hate them that much? She didn't know them at all...Opening her mouth to respond, she was cut off as the monster continued. "Now, sunlight is just within our reach! I won't let you snatch it away from us!" A tug on Evelynne's arm had her bending forward, spears flying over her head. In her shock she froze, watching as pieces of her hair fell around her, removed by the magic.

It was suddenly harder to breathe.

"Enough warming up!" Evelynne looked up and yelped, moving to the side with just enough speed to escape several spears aimed toward her chest. In her panic, she didn't expect the spear to appear to her right, and Frisk was far too busy dodging to warn her.

It didn't feel like the soul-crushing pain she had felt the first time she'd been hit. This time, the attack hit her side, making contact and slicing through her skin before almost immediately disappearing. It was like a hot, electrified knife cut into her like she was soft butter, leaving her to collapse onto her knees and gasp out in pain. Her hands shakily shot up to her side as she panted and coughed, tears gathering quickly in her eyes. She pulled her hands away shakily, expecting blood to coat her skin. Instead, only tiny droplets slowly escaped the wound, tinging her pale skin pink. Had the magic cauterized the wound? Evelynne looked up in her confusion at the monster, but was alarmed to find Undyne no longer in front of her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she felt a presence behind her, and she was almost frozen in her fear and pain before Frisk yelled out somewhere to her right, telling her to move. Her body responded automatically, her legs pushing forward and propelling her away from the spear which had been aimed to come straight down over her. Falling forward and rolling, Evelynne cried out as her side screamed in protest, sending a searing sensation through her and throbbing.

Evelynne wasn't the best at dodging. Not like Frisk. Frisk hadn't even acquired a scratch. But regardless of her poor abilities, there was one thing Evelynne could do. She'd hurt herself so many times over the years, her magic searing her, cutting her, causing harm and leaving scars, that she could deal with this pain. She pushed through the throbbing and searing, focusing on her surroundings. There was Frisk, just a bit in front of her. Undyne was currently focusing on her, sending waves of quick moving spears from all sides. Frisk maneouvered through them with relative ease, only slightly out of breath and working to protect her soul. Undyne didn't look tired at all, only angry. If they could only…

Frisk's soul was red.

Evelynne pushed up, looking at the nearby cave with wide eyes. The green barrier was gone. Was Undyne too distracted to hold it up? How long would it take for her to realize? Evelynne looked back at the fight, quickly formulating a plan.

"Undyne!" Evelynne called, wincing at her own movements as she pointed behind the startled monster. "Look out!" Confusion and panic flashed onto the monster's face as she turned, looking around as if expecting someone to leap from the shadows. Pushing away the disbelief and relief that Undyne was so gullible, Evelynne sprang forward and grabbed Frisk's arm, shooting toward the cave entrance.

"What? There's no..-Hey!" Heavy metal footsteps sounded behind them as they ran, Frisk dragged behind Evelynne as they entered the cave. A wave of hot air hit them almost immediately, mixing with the moist air behind them and becoming humid and heavy. It was hard to breath, and the humidity irritated her wound farther, her pace quickly decreasing as her slight limp became worse. It wasn't long before Undyne caught up, a spear shooting up from the ground in front of them. The two humans skidded to a stop, looking behind them to find Undyne walking menacingly toward them. Her eye was twitching and she was breathing heavily, growling at them in her impatience. "Stop running away!" Bringing her spear up, she slashed at them, missing by mere inches as they stumbled backward. A sharp pain shot down Evelynne's side and down her leg as she turned to escape, causing her to collapse with a shout. Frisk cried out, pulling on her hand in panic, encouraging her to get up. Wheezing, Evelynne pushed Frisk away, shaking her head. She wouldn't be able to outrun Undyne.

"Frisk, go!" She shouted, voice rough and breaking. Frisk shook her head, her panicked expression dissolving into fear as tears rolled down her cheeks. Evelynne pushed Frisk's had away, pulling back before she could grab on again. "Hurry!" She pushed herself onto her back, groaning as her side stung in protest at the movement. Her chest was burning, entire body aching. Undyne stood over her, scowling with her raised spear.

She was going to die.

"You're pathetic. I've heard stories of you humans. You're supposed to be strong, and huge! With a giant sword, or a laser gun!" Evelynne stared up at her as she ranted, barely listening to her words. Giant swords? Laser guns? She dug the palms of her hands into the dirt, pushing herself backward slowly and carefully. If she could just get a little bit of distance, she could distract Undyne long enough for Frisk to get away! "But you're pathetic! Alphys was wrong...how disappointing." Undyne focused back on her, narrowing her eye and lifting the spear higher. Evelynne brought her arms up instinctively, speaking before she knew what was happening.

"Wait!" She closed her eyes, expecting to feel the sharp spear tearing through her. Instead, there was silence. She brought her arms down slowly, looking up into Undyne's impatient stare.

"What is it?" She growled, looking down at Evelynne's exposed soul.

"I, uh...What about….my powers?" Undyne raised a thin black eyebrow, as if telling her to continue. She took a moment, eyes wide and chest heaving as her mind worked. "W-well, you know...some of us have big swords, or-or laser guns. Some of us have powers!" A moment of silence passed before Undyne lowered her spear, only slightly.

"Like...what?" Evelynne bit her lip, trying her hardest to control the fear that was beginning to seep in. Where was she going with this? Why couldn't she think? She couldn't even control her magic!

"Well, like, uhm…" Evelynne looked around, but there was nothing to help her. "L-like…." A growl from Undyne startled her, and she looked up to see Undyne looking more enraged than before.

"Enough stalling! Time to die!" She raised the spear and brought it down, aimed right at Evelynne's chest. She shrieked, bringing her arms up once again and squeezing her eyes closed tight. Her magic flared at the sudden panic, a flash of electricity pulsing in her chest. The darkness behind her eyes became lighter, as if a bright light was shining in her face, and suddenly she felt a sudden, slightly painful pulsing in her chest. But…

Evelynne opened her eyes, taking in the sight of her brightly glowing soul before noticing the transparent silver wall in front of her. Undyne slammed her spear down against it several more times, each moment of contact causing more pulses in the center of her chest. Shocked, she sat frozen, listening to Undyne yell and continue to attempt attacking her. She was alive! Her magic had, once again, saved her life. But she couldn't celebrate for long. It was only a few moments until a particularly hard stab to the wall, a magical shield, Evelynne realized, sent a sharp pain through her chest. A crack appeared in the shield, and Evelynne was suddenly pushing herself up onto her feet and backing away, holding her hands out in front of her as if she had control. But as she stepped away, Undyne gave another sharp stab, causing her to gasp out in surprise. Another crack. The shield wasn't going to last, and she couldn't outrun Undyne.

"Get back here and let me kill you!" Another crack. Evelynne felt as if she was about to hyperventilate, gasping for air and choking on it as she waited. It was inevitable. At least Frisk was gone. Sans would find her, he had to! Would he help her? He had so far. Another crack. A loud battle cry. Panic. This was it.

Evelynne's magic had never been very active. Even when losing control, it would cause an explosion, or set something on fire. Following, she would feel tired enough to sleep for days, drained of all her energy. But now, as she watched the instinctively-created shield shatter in front of her, it was as if she had an endless pool of magic sitting right in her chest. Her hands opened up on instinct, and she pushed out toward Undyne as if she could stop the shield from shattering. Electricity shot through her body, spreading through and around her, and suddenly a pressure was building in the air around her until it burst, sending Undyne and Evelynne flying in opposite directions.

Her body connected painfully with the ground, leaving her groaning and coughing, dust entering her lungs and irritating her further. She pushed against the ground shakily, spitting dirt and blood out next to her and groaning as her spine popped as her back arched. She looked behind her, ready to prepare herself for another attack, but stopped as she took in Undyne's still form, sprawled out at the cave entrance. It took determination to push herself up onto her feet, turning to fully face the monster.

Had she just killed Undyne? The monster hadn't turned to dust. Regardless, fear and panic blossomed in her chest. She hadn't wanted to kill her! She hadn't wanted to attack at all! Fear of harm kept her rooted to the spot, staring and waiting for any sign of life or death with bated breath. What would she do? Should she call Papyrus? Undyne was his friend...would he attack her? She couldn't bear the thought of Papyrus hating her.

A groan ripped Evelynne from her thoughts, and she watched as Undyne coughed and twisted, attempted to get up. Relief rushed through her, only for a moment, before crushing fear returned. She was still the enemy.

Before she knew what was happening, her feet were carrying her away from Undyne. She limped heavily, breathing erratic and frequently disrupted by hacking and soft cries of pain. The wound in her side was bleeding, having opened when she connected with the ground. The path was straight. There were no hallways or divots in which Frisk could have hidden. It was getting hotter and dryer, and as Evelynne ran, she caught sight of something that would have been interesting, if she wasn't running for her life. A huge, long sign with scrolling letters.

Welcome to Hotland.

The light at the end of the tunnel was getting brighter, and the air hotter. She heaved in air and coughed it back out, her exhalations vocalized as she strained herself. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to stop. She was too tired to go on. She should just let Undyne kill her. She was going to die, eventually…

The next sight Evelynne saw caused relief to flood through her so fast that a sob left her forcefully, her face warming and tears immediately pouring from her eyes. There, at the end of the tunnel, sat Sans. He seemed to be sitting on a chair behind another one those stands, his feet propped up on the counter and his hands buried deep in the pockets of his black jacket. Had he seen Frisk? Was he hiding her? Evelynne pushed forward, feeling slightly more determined as she approached.

Finally, he looked up in her direction, lazy expression falling as he took in her state. He waited for her to finally reach his stand before speaking, his grin small and his eyes taking in her dirty, bloodied form.

"You okay there, pal?" Evelynne placed her free hand on the wooden counter to steady herself, tossing a look over her shoulder as she ignored his question. Where was Undyne? Had she stood up, yet?

"Have you seen Frisk? She asked, her voice rough, low and frantic. Sans raised a brow at her, his eyes quickly trailing down to the hand covering her side before snapping back up to her face.

"Nope. Haven't seen 'er. Just got here." If she had more time, she would have questioned that statement. For now, though, there was a faint sound she had become all too familiar with. Undyne had most definitely gotten up, and had pursued. The heavy footsteps were faint, but each one echoed off the cave walls. She was running. Evelynne whimpered softly through the urge to cough and choke, a lump rising in her throat as she removed her hand, looking down to confirm that, yes, it was still bleeding. She wouldn't be able to get away. And...looking to her right, there was another bridge. She'd probably die trying, anyway. She'd have to stand her ground. Either way, she was going to die, right? But where was Frisk! "Hey." Evelynne looked back up to see Sans standing a little farther back, looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. "Hide under here." Was that an offer? It didn't sound like an offer. It sounded like a demand. Evelynne wasn't sure what to think about it, but as the heavy footsteps drew closer, she had trouble caring.

"What about-"

"The kid will be fine." He assured her, his gaze unmoving from hers. A second of uncertainty passed, and Evelynne limped forward behind the stall, giving him one last look before she dropped down onto her hands and knees, painfully crawling under the tiny shelf. She noted that this stand lacked in condiments. Did he not sell hotdogs here? She curled in on herself, hissing in pain as her side protested. "Try to stay quiet," he muttered, sitting on the seat in front of her and hiding her, while at the same time blocking her escape. A sudden fear of betrayal crossed her mind before she shook her head frantically. Sans and Papyrus were their friends. She trusted them. They wouldn't hurt her or Frisk.

Right?

It seemed to take forever for Undyne to get there, and her comfort decreased by the second. She reflected briefly on the fact that Sans' hoodie, tied around her waist, was ruined. It was saturated in her blood and sweat, and she could only hope that he wouldn't be upset with her. She quickly untied it from her waist. If she got out of this, it would only slow her down, now.

The tunnel echoed Undyne's footsteps from far back in the cave. Perhaps it really had taken her that long to get off the floor in the first place. It was a good thing, however, that Evelynne had enough time to calm her breathing, no longer forced to cough or hiss in pain. She sat perfectly still under the counter, sweating and trembling as Undyne's steps grew closer.

"Sans!" The call was still a little far away, but Sans didn't respond. Evelynne furrowed her brows. What was he doing? "Sans! Wake up!" Soon, a heavy fist slammed down against the countertop, and Evelynne slapped a hand over her mouth to avoid yelling out. Sans didn't even jump. If he had been sleeping, and she was fairly certain he hadn't been, then he had completely expected this behaviour.

"Oh. Hey, Undyne." Sans yawned, sounding completely unphased by the growling guard in front of him.

"Don't 'hey, Undyne' me! Where's the human?" She was practically yelling, and Evelynne sat tense as she waited. Did he have some sort of plan?

"Dunno." Another growl, another fist slammed against the counter. So, no plan.

"If you weren't so lazy, you would have seen her!" She screamed out in frustration. "I was so close! Sans, these humans are dangerous. One of them has magic."

"Cool." Undyne groaned out her extreme frustration, stomping her foot so hard that it made the stand vibrate. Evelynne tried her best to not breathe. If she kept hitting the stand, or started kicking it, the damn wood would fall apart. Then what?

"We need to kill her before she hurts anyone!"

"Ok. Hey, isn't that the kid?" Evelynne froze, jaw slack as Undyne yelled out and immediately left Sans' station to chase after whatever it was Sans had pointed out. Panicked, Evelynne scooted forward and leaned, bracing a hand against his legs as she tried to see around the corner.

"Sans!" She hissed. It was nothing, right? He had been joking...right? She couldn't quite see from her angle, but she could hear Undyne's heavy footsteps connect with what sounded like the wood from the bridge.

"Wait." His voice was calm, but that didn't matter. What if it really was Frisk? A child couldn't fight Undyne! What was he thinking?

"Sans, Frisk-"

"The kid knows that she's doing." No! Evelynne pushed against his leg, forcing her way painfully out of the safety of his stand. She groaned on the ground, forcing herself to look up to find that Frisk really was there, standing across the bridge with a blank expression on her face. Undyne was slowing as she approached, and Evelynne almost called out, if it weren't for a hand falling onto her shoulder. Looking back with large, panicked eyes, Evelynne found Sans. "Wait. Trust me," he said calmly, his default grin back on his face. Evelynne looked at him incredulously, about to protest, when a loud thump from the bridge interrupted her forming argument. Looking over, Undyne had fallen on the bridge, and Frisk stood in front of the monster with a saddened Frisk done something? If only she had been watching...Frisk looked up from her spot, eyes locking with Evelynne's. It was enough to push the woman into action. Evelynne pulled away from Sans and approached the bridge, pushing away her fear. She could cross the bridge. Never mind the fall into nothingness-

Oh. That wasn't a never-ending pit, beneath her. Evelynne closed her eyes as a whimper escaped her, but she steeled her resolve. Frisk was waiting for her. The bridge was wide. She could do this.

Keeping her eyes forward and her breathing calm, she stepped forward onto the creaky wood, limping her way slowly across. Undyne had almost made it across, and Evelynne was thankful for the width of the bridge as she stepped around the groaning monster, fearful of an attack but unwilling to leave Frisk alone any longer. She made it to the end, where Frisk immediately grabbed onto her like a child to their favorite toy. Evelynne collapsed onto the solid earth, ignoring the heat of the rock beneath her as she embraced Frisk tightly. She felt hot tears roll down her face as she held the child, burying her face into Frisk's shoulder. She was safe. That was all that mattered.

They stayed in eachother's arms for a few minutes before Frisk began pulling away, giving Evelynne a happy, sweet smile. Another groan from behind them stole their attention, and they looked back to see Undyne panting on the bridge."So...hot…" she muttered brokenly, eyes closed and hands grasping at nothing. Frisk moved, leaving Evelynne watching in confusion as she pointed toward what seemed to be a water jug. She understood what Frisk wanted, but every fiber of her being was telling her not to. Don't help the monster who has been chasing you for days. Don't revive the dangerous being who nearly killed you. But, looking into Frisk's eyes….

"Ok," she breathed, almost in utter disbelief of herself. Frisk turned without hesitation and picked something up, turning and revealing it to be a plastic cup of water. She'd already filled it? When? Evelynne watched with furrowed brows as Frisk slowly approached Undyne. There was no way Frisk could have known that would happen, right? She stood shakily, watching as Frisk tipped the cup over, pouring its contents onto the monster.

So, Undyne really was a fish monster. The water seemed to bring her back to life, prompting her to stand and stare at Frisk. Evelynne stood and watched, her muscles tense, ready to run and push Undyne into the lava. But Frisk didn't move away, and Undyne never attacked. It was like she knew that Undyne would take a step back, her stare blank and eyes glazed over, before turning completely and leaving. Both humans stayed still, watching their attacker suddenly abandon the chase...

Sans was no longer at his stand.

* * *

So Fanfiction does this ridiculous thing where, sometimes, if I try to paste too much text, the thing won't load and it won't be saved, so I need to update by copying and pasting little chunks at a time, and sometimes I miss breaks in the text or I'll miss a paragraph or something...anyway, if it seems really weird, let me know. I probably missed something. It's very frustrating.

OKAY! I have some catching up to do! If I miss your UN in the shout-outs, let me know and I'll fix it asap!

So a HUGE thank you to these people for their continued love and support, and leaving me lovely comments to read: **Angel of Randomosity, GaleForceSinger, skylaeatpie, Kajimei, AmbiguousTardigrade, ScarkitTheMadaNeko, StargladesTime1, dwayiam, LainaFantasyGirl, Ellaspen Frost, MistressofDawn1990, longagonever, NightFuryHunter, silent roja, MisstyxTB, Kagayaku Hoshi-chan, madmalitiangamer, Trinity Stark,** and **bubbadude6463**!

Oh my goodness. Sorry I missed shout-outs last time, but you should all be here now! If not, let me know, I'll add you in :D

RESPONSES!

-hOI! Kira wants TEMS! but i gota finis colleg!...but really, there will be Temmie's. It will happen. Just not yet. :) bOI!

-ahhhhhhh sorry, I hope the main fight was at least what you were looking for! It was so hard to write this chapter, ugh. But when I go back to edit (eventually...some time in my life...) I'll put some more of the good stuff in. This is pretty much the "and then this happened. And then this happened." Stage that all my chapters go through. I just...ugh. I hope it was okay!

-Hey, I would NEVER blow up at anyone for a fair review, unless it was a comment about Mary-Jane's or offensive toward other people. But, other than that, it's free game! I want to get better, and keep my individuality, but I also want to give you guys the best experience I can, because you're all lovely people :) It's your story too!

-Thanks for the review biscuit.

OKAY! Short replies. I'm thinking I should keep it short on here, but we'll see what happens. Anyway, THANK YOU ALL FOR READING, and reviewing ;) and everything else. ILYA! SYANU!


	26. Exhaustion

**A/N:** Oh my goodness.

8 drafts. I rewrote this chapter 8 times. 9, if you count the overhaul it received this morning. I am so tired. I'm still not happy with it. But I need to step away from this chapter. I just can't work on this chapter anymore.

Again, I know you guys are always so supportive, and I love you all, but I have visions for chapters. Scenes play out in my head, and all I have to do is write it down. Somewhere, in the process, my characters do their own thing, and that's okay. I love that. But jeeeez if it doesn't make me life difficult when I don't get where I want to go.

I'm not sure if I ever told you all this, but I am a perfectionist. I recognize I'm not getting a story published here, but I like to put out the best thing possible. I'm a perfectionist because I care that you all enjoy your experience, whether it be reading my story or listening to me perform or visiting my house. It has to be perfect for the people around me. That's why I struggle so much.

But I'm stepping back! This is what it is right now. Feedback, as always, is encouraged and appreciated. If you have any suggestions, I always listen to those as well. I'm just happy to post this one, really.

So, yeah, enjoy!

* * *

Evelynne poked at her side, feeling around her new scar, the area still tender from the wound. Dried blood stained the left side of her jeans and the bottom of her top, black and crusty. Sweat soaked and exhausted, Evelynne allowed herself to sit back in her seat, the gentle rocking soothing her, even as they moved at high speeds, water flying up around them. As her eyes threatened to close, she looked over at Frisk, sitting on the opposite side of the boat. Frisk had been avoiding eye contact since Undyne had left, and had only held her hand to lead her to the river with a gentle tug. Evelynne had uttered a quiet 'Frisk?' once during their journey, accepting quickly that Frisk wanted to be left alone to their thoughts. Despite her deep worry, her exhaustion pushed her to accept the situation as it was, for the time being. There'd be plenty of time to talk later, after all.

Frisk had led her to a boat with a strange monster at the front, dressed in a dark blue robe with the hood up. Even in squinting through the shadow of the hood, Evelynne couldn't see anything. It was as if they had no face at all. They introduced themselves as the riverman. And then woman? She'd just call them the riverperson, and hope they were okay with that.

Were she feeling better, she would have gasped and marveled at the boat whizzing through the water. She may have also wondered where this riverperson was earlier. Couldn't they have just taken the boat to Hotland? However, as she was, she couldn't find it in her to care. She was desperate for sleep, and felt her eyes growing heavier and heavier by the second. The gentle swaying of the boat and the soft singing of the riverperson coaxed her into an uneasy sleep.

But blissful it was not.

Her dreams held images of spears and blood. The sound of her own screams echoed in her head with flashes of her magic lashing out, Undyne falling and disintegrating in front of her. The sight of Frisk covered in blood and tears, reaching out from her across the bridge. Evelynne screamed, her eyes flying open as she gasped for air. Sitting up, her eyes frantically scanned the darkness surrounding her as she choked, pushing down a sob.

"Frisk?" She called, her voice coming out as a broken whisper. Tears stung at her eyes as she was met with silence, panic flashing through her so violently she lost control and sobbed sharply, the sounds of her cries echoing around her. Frisk was dead. She was dead and Evelynne couldn't save her. She pushed herself up to her feet quickly, her legs uncooperative and sending her to the ground. Body and mind exhausted, she sat crumpled on the floor, a mess of tears and panic as she shouted Frisk's name once more, her voice scratchy and low.

There was a flash of brightness so intense that she was forced to squeeze her eyes shut, though the tears refused to stop. Hands were on her shoulders, squeezing gently, but every time she'd crack her eyes open, the light was blinding and she'd be forced to shut them once more. Someone was talking, and suddenly her trembling form was being lifted. She couldn't breathe. She was choking on air, caught between coughs and gasps. There was a strange but familiar sensation washing over her that had her shivering, her heart beating fast in panic. The sensation sank deep into her skin to her bones, almost a comforting feeling, before it was suddenly gone. She was on the edge of a panic attack, but she forced herself to calm. Deep breaths, in and out. She was trembling violently, tears still slipping past her eyelids. The hands still hadn't left her, but now they encased her right hand. Breathe. In and out.

She had no idea how long it took for her to calm herself. It felt like an eternity, but she had no concept of time in this state. All she knew was that she could breathe again, and no, she hadn't stopped crying or shaking, but she could feel pins and needles running through her limbs, and she was cold. Carefully, her eyes slid open to observe total and complete darkness. She was laying on something so soft that she sunk into it, just the slightest bit. She knew immediately that she was no longer in her normal clothes. The cold air chilled her bare legs, but her torso was covered with something soft, warm, and familiar. She moved, about to push herself up when her right hand slid from something warm and solid, causing her to freeze halfway. Who was touching her?

"Hey, uh...feelin' better?" The voice was instantly recognized as a wave of relief tore through her, threatening to bring a fresh wave of tears.

"Sans," she called softly, reaching out with her right hand and finding his again. She needed this. She needed a friend, right now, after almost...She'd almost…

Frisk.

"Sans, where is Frisk?" She asked, attempting to steady her voice. Instead, it came out sounding possibly even more pathetic than when she'd first woken up. She was surprised when his hand squeezed hers lightly, and fear began to manifest once more at the gesture.

"With Paps, don't worry." Evelynne immediately fell back in relief, her hand slipping from his as she bounced the slightest bit on the soft object. Silence filled the room for just a moment as she tried to finally stop the tears and calm her breathing. If Sans was here, she was safe, right? Undyne hadn't killed Frisk. But, when did she get here? Memories began to come back to her, separating her dream from reality. Undyne had left them alone. Frisk had led her to a boat, and she'd fallen asleep.

"Where am I?"

"In my room." Evelynne looked in his direction with a confused expression. She could barely see him through her blurred vision and the darkness of the room, but after a moment, a light blinked on across from them. She didn't question how he had managed to turn it on without leaving her side, and instead turned her head slightly to assess the room.

It looked just the same as it had when she'd snuck in here, if a little bit tidier. Socks and papers that had been strewn on the floor were piled into one corner, near the desk and now dark computer. The trash tornado was missing the spaghetti, but had acquired a sleeping, content little white dog with a bone in its mouth. Sitting up, her hands splaying out and feeling the bed beneath her, she found that the mattress was covered by a sheet, and the blanket was pushed off to the side against the wall, a pillow having been placed underneath her head.

Sans was sitting beside her, both hands tucked into his pockets as he leaned back in the desk chair he'd brought over. He seemed relaxed, but his pupils were intensely trained on her, watching her even as she made eye contact. There was something about his expression that seemed...tense. She looked down, confirming that she was, in fact, pantless. But somehow, she had acquired Sans' hoodie….and it was clean and patched. If she were in a better mood, she would have blushed at her state. How had she ended up in front of him twice without pants?

"I fell asleep on the boat. How did I get here?" Frisk certainly couldn't have carried her.

...Right?

"The kiddo called Pap and asked for help bringing you over." His responses were short and concise. It unnerved her. It felt different. Why was he looking at her so intensely?

"And...I'm in your room?" Sans looked away from her, finally, his gaze sliding over to rest on the trash tornado.

"You were asleep on the couch for a few hours before you woke up screaming. You wouldn't calm down, so I brought you up here." He shrugged, looking back at her. She frowned in response. Had he carried her up the steps so quickly? It felt like only a moment after she was lifted that she'd felt the soft bed underneath her. "Your, uh...magic didn't fight me too much this time, so I teleported you," he finished, seemingly reading her mind.

"It...didn't fight you?"

"It tried, but you don't have enough to stop me, now."

"Oh." Silence fell over them as she absorbed this information, brows furrowed and gaze resting uselessly on the tornado. Something strange had been going on with her magic. She'd never had something like that happen to her before, and now she was...what? Low on magic? What was going on? She closed her eyes, trying, for the first time since she was a child, to feel for her magic. To draw it out. But…

There was a very light, barely there buzz of warmth before she was hit with sudden exhaustion, a gasp leaving her as her eyes flew open. She wanted to fall back against the bed, but stubbornly fisted the sheet underneath her and forced gravity to work in her favor.

"My...I don't feel...right," she attempted to explain, hoping he'd have some answer for her. He lifted his brow at her instead, sitting straight up with his eyes flicking downward for a moment before meeting her gaze.

"Undyne said you used magic."

"I did. But I didn't mean to!" Evelynne was quick to clarify, hoping he didn't think she'd attack anyone. "She was about to kill me, and my magic just...created a shield." Evelynne forced herself to keep eye contact with him, even through his suspicious stare. He seemed to be analyzing everything she was saying, and she knew she had to be careful. "Then, when the shield broke...It's just...never happened before. My magic...exploded? It felt almost like a wave of energy just bursting from the shield. It pushed us both back away from each other. I thought...I thought I had killed Undyne, but when I knew she was okay, I ran." Her voice was a whisper by the end of her explanation, and she had turned her hands over in her lap, staring at them as if they were the source of her problems. After a few minutes she heard what sounded like the quietest sigh, and she found herself copying him.

"You exhausted your magic. It'll come back, after some time." He sounded so clinical, so unlike the skeleton she'd been introduced to. Even in their tenser moments, there was a spark of that laidback personality. But right now…he almost sounded like a doctor, telling her that her cuts would heal.

"Are you...mad at me?" Regardless of the fact that she was prepared to die down here, she still valued the friendships she had made. She couldn't stand the thought of Sans being angry at her. More silence followed the question, and the longer he took to answer, the closer she edged toward dissolving into tears.

"You need to eat," he said finally, and Evelynne felt her frown deepen, her lower lip quivering just slightly as tears collected at the corners of her eyes. Here it was. Her magic was destroying something else in her life. Even to magical beings, she was unnatural. A freak. Sans stood, moving toward the bedroom door and leaving her to sit in her misery. She should jsut go; leave Frisk with the brothers and give her soul to Undyne or Asgore. Free everyone and let Toriel watch over them- "I'm not mad at you." Evelynne's head shot up, finding him frozen at the door, his hand on the door knob and his head bowed. The tears finally fell from her eyes, caused by the rush of relief. "I'll be back soon," he muttered, finally opening the door. Evelynne sat frozen for another minute or two before allowing herself to fall back onto the bed, exhaustion overwhelming her. The hollow feeling that had quickly settled in her chest during his silence was still there, warning her that something was wrong. He didn't trust her, anymore. He didn't want her around. She was a danger to his brother. Stray tears slipped from her closed eyes as she searched for her magic once more, the dull pulse of warm tingling in her chest leaving her simultaneously relieved and terrified. At least she wouldn't have to worry about losing control, for a while.

She didn't know when she fell asleep, slipping into an unknown blackness that felt as comfortable as it looked. When she next opened her eyes, it was to the sound of clacking, all at once unalarming and unfamiliar. She stared up at the dark ceiling for a while, illuminated by a soft blueish-white glow. It sounded like a keyboard, and so she slid her gaze to the computer, where she found Sans sitting in the chair, typing quickly on the old keyboard. Her eyesight was too blurry from sleep and emotion for her to see what was appearing on the page, but she watched silently for a few more minutes, hoping to catch some clue of his work. Did he actually write those equations? What was he doing now? She wanted so badly to ask him, but she was terrified to admit she'd been looking around his room without his permission, or even that she was awake, watching him. She was certain she was already on thin ice with him, and she was sure that admission wouldn't help.

But...that was the least of her worries, wasn't it? What about that strange monster in the disappearing room? The symbols? Her still silent magic? Something bigger was going on. She needed answers. Evelynne finally pushed herself up into a seated position on the bed, the mattress creaking underneath her movements and alerting Sans. He minimized the open page on his computer before turning in his chair to look over at her. She couldn't read his expression at all, but his grin was definitely small. Strained.

"I, uh, brought you some food." He gestured to the trash tornado, where a brown bag was lazily riding along with a few balled up pieces of paper. Evelynne blinked at it a few times. Why would he put it in the tornado? A joke came to mind, but he didn't seem in the right place for it. She should ask him questions. She should try to figure out what her next step is. Anything but making jokes.

.

.

.

.

Ah, screw it.

"Don't you think that's a bit... _twisted_?" She asked, her eyes sliding to him as she timidly made the joke. There was a moment where he didn't react at all, and Evelynne was terrified that things really were ruined between them, that he didn't trust her at all. But after another beat of silence, the corners of his mouth rose just slightly.

Okay. Okay. Things will be fine.

"I mean, I know things are a little _turbulent_ right now," she continued, gaining back a bit more confidence. His smile grew. It looked more genuine, now. "But you didn't have to put my food in a literal tornado." He leaned back in his chair, his hands going straight into his pockets as he examined her.

"Well, I figured since you're feeling _under the weather_ that it might be a welcome _turn_ of events to help _lift_ you up." Evelynne couldn't stop the small laugh even if she wanted to. It was still slightly tense. She wasn't sure what to say, but it was a relief that puns could be a safe and familiar fall back. Untangling herself from the covers, she leaned forward, hesitantly reaching toward the tornado. Just like last time, wind brushed across her skin, but it wasn't until she grabbed the bag of food that she felt it. She pulled back quickly, looking at the tornado in wonder. There was magic there. It was so contained that she didn't even know it until she was literally in it. Pushing away her momentary shock, she shifted back onto the bed and opened the bag carefully. Grillby's. Her mouth watered immediately, and she didn't hesitate to reach into the bag and pull out a tightly-wrapped burger, still warm in her hands though it obviously wasn't freshly heated any more. She took an eager bite, a muffled moan escaping her as the familiar taste and healing magic washed over her. She hadn't noticed Sans still watching her until she opened her eyes again, looking over at him with slight embarrassment as she swallowed.

"Sorry. It's so good, after just eating Cinnamon Bunnies and Candy." She laughed nervously, and he shrugged.

"Why do you think I like it there? Other than the fact that Grillbz is a literal space heater." He chuckled, and Evelynne smiled in response before taking another bite. The silence was heavy, but the tension was slowly ebbing away. After two more bites, Evelynne put the burger down on its wrapper, staring down at it as her jaw worked. She had to talk to him. She needed his help.

"Sans," she started, her voice soft. She knew he would hear her. He was intensely focused on her. "Some things have been happening. I need help." She finally looked up, meeting his gaze. "I think you can help me." He raised a brow to that, but otherwise stayed silent, waiting. Evelynne looked down at her food, carefully wrapping it back up and pushing the bag away from her.

It was now or never.

"Frisk knows things," she began, keeping her eyes firmly locked on her hands folded in her lap. "She knows how to persuade monsters to stop fighting. She knows things are going to happen before they happen. She knows the way through the Underground. She knew about monster food. It's almost like she's been here before." She paused, waiting for any response. When none came, she moved to the next thing. "I get nightmares. Frisk is always in them, but she's not Frisk. It's like she's being possessed." She finally looked up, staring into empty black eye sockets before looking away, unnerved by the blackness.

She kept going.

"She goes around killing monsters, and...and both of you attack me," she added softly, shivering at the memory. "They're not always nightmares, either. Sometimes they're like visions…they seem so real." She was instantly brought back to the moment outside Napstablook's house, where he tested her magic's reaction to his. Why didn't she react to anyone else's? She'd been in contact with plenty of other magic Underground. Why was it only his? "It feels like I'm really there, Sans. It only happens after you use magic on me," she muttered, looking back over at him. "Why is that?"

He didn't respond right away, observing her. His eyes were back to normal, and no longer staring at her as if she were an enigma, yet she still felt uncomfortable under his gaze. What was he searching for?

"I don't know," he finally responded, and Evelynne felt herself deflate. "Tell me about the nightmares." She tensed at the request. She really didn't want to. She didn't want to acknowledge that they actually happened. But she did. She told him about each one in as much detail as she could remember, stopping periodically to collect herself. By the end, Sans was by her side as she sobbed, her hands pressed against her throat as she recalled the feeling of the knife making contact. This time, it didn't take her long to calm down, taking deep, slow breaths. She was too exhausted, and had already cried far too much. Sans' presence was comforting, and she found herself leaning toward him naturally as his weight on the mattress caused it to dip forward.

His hand rested heavily on her shoulder, gripping her lightly as if to keep her grounded. It wasn't as comforting as she had hoped, but it was something. He was solid, and real, and there. He wasn't trying to kill her. He was trying to help her. She took a few more steadying breaths before looking up at him. She was surprised to see that he looked so...concerned.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, gripping the sheets once more. "It's been...a lot." She smiled up at him as best as she could, though by the slight frown pulling at the corners of his mouth, he wasn't convinced. In fact, he looked downright upset. Still, he forced a smile for her.

"Maybe you and the kiddo should stay a while. There's nothing wrong with taking breaks. Trust me, I take 'em all the time." He leaned away from her, his hand falling off her shoulder and returning to his pocket. "Besides, Pap would never forgive me if I let you walk away right now." Evelynne's smile grew a little more genuine. A break…

Part of her wanted to leave the Underground as soon as possible. At this point, she didn't want to know what else could go wrong. But she was comfortable here, with the skeleton brothers. She needed time to heal, and they both needed time to rest. Feeling safe while doing so would be appreciated.

"I'll talk to Frisk about it later," she promised, wiping her tears with the end of her sleeve. "Maybe, if we do decide to stay...can we watch a movie?" She asked timidly, feeling childish at the request. Regardless, Sans' grin finally widened and he leaned back fully, propped against the other wall.

"Sure. We can watch whatever you want." There it was. The heaviness in the air had dissipated. Finally able to breathe fully, Evelynne leaned forward and awkwardly wrapped her arms around Sans' middle, her head resting on his sternum. Once again, he tensed, just like he had the last time.

"Thank you, Sans. You're...a great friend," she whispered, hugging him tighter. She felt him shift, and for a moment, she was afraid he'd push her off. Naturally, she was shocked when his arms wrapped around her, resting just under her shoulder blades.

He was warm.

"Don't mention it."

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OH MAN I ALMOST FORGOT::::!

I am looking for a beta! I usually prefer to have a beta who is a writer/really wants to be involved with writing, and is a fan of the fic. Just makes things better that way! Preferably over 18, so if(when) I write...mature...chapters of ANY type, I don't have to worry about who's editing it for me. I had a beta for my skyrim story who ended up becoming one of my best friends. So if you're looking for a chance to be chatty with some weird lady (lolme) get in contact with me by one of the following methods: PM on FFNet, PM on here, PM on tumblr.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave a comment telling me what you did/didn't like, or anything else! ;)

Shout outs!

 **madmalitiangamer, trvlsize23, Icy Rundas, WandererRaen,** and **rainbow51743**! You guys are awesome, thank you so much for leaving my reviews!

Info/ **please read -**

So, I almost decided to stop updating on FFNet and just keep it on AO3. This doc manager issue is really starting to piss me off. I already sent out a message on my Skyrim story, letting fans know. But this story is insanely huge. There are over 100 followers for this story...actually, 183, to be exact. Holy mother-lovin cow. I don't want to lose a single person, really. I love all of my readers. The issue with the skyrim story was it went through a big enough edit that updating it was a pain, and the edits were important to the story.

I'm not editing this story right now. Eventually, when it's all said and done, which will be far in the future, I'm sure, I will come back and edit the story, as well as this sentence with way too many commas. But, as it is, this is one update every now and again...ANYWAY the question is... **how many of you would be bothered if I stopped updating here,** and kept it to AO3? Would I lose any of you? It seems like I may lose a large chunk of my LSE audience. So I am concerned. I love all of you, and I don't want to disappoint you with "oh hey I'm moving so uh, yeah figure it out."

So as of right now, it isn't an issue. Just trying to get a read on all of you and see where you all stand on it.

Okay yeah that's it I think...ANYWAY ILYA! Thank you all for reading and I will SYANU! Don't forget to review(and leave an answer! ;)


	27. Besties

**A/N:** Hooooooo boy. Did I drop the ball on this one. I swear, I didn't plan on taking so long to write it, but it's here! This, ladies and gentlemen, is an example of my writing when I take my time, haha. I am actually really proud of this chapter. Hopefully the writing time decreases in the future, but I definitely want to keep churning out quality content for you all. Plus, well...if you don't follow my Tumblr, you didn't see that I was on the struggle bus for a little while. Again. BUT WE'RE GOOD!

I didn't edit this one alone. I put out an announcement asking for a beta, and several of you responded. Thank you so much for that. I chose someone based on their experience and their writing, as well as their professionalism in contacting me. They're super nice, and they really put a polish on this chapter, so a huge shout out to **LainaFantasyGirl** for their help! Even with my new editing method, I didn't catch everything!

Some stylistic things have changed, so please let me know how you feel about this chapter! Also, this is sorta my "sorry this is taking so long" chapter. Things are moving along, and this is a bit longer than usual. So don't hate me too much? ;p

Anyway, enjoy! Don't forget to leave a review!

* * *

Evelynne woke slowly, her consciousness seeping through, as if coming from a fog. Her body felt heavy, pressing into the soft surface beneath her. For a moment, she felt fear and confusion, wondering where she was and if Frisk was alive until, finally, her memories began to return in blurred chunks. Had she really fallen asleep again? Since when did she lay on her stomach? Nestling further into the warm nest of pillows, sheets, and a blanket, she blinked into the darkness as she tried to piece together her memories.

She remembered quite clearly Sans holding her as she calmed. She had asked him to keep holding her even after her tears had dried, and her face heated only slightly. Surprisingly, he had acquiesced, his arms resting lazily over her back as she hugged him around his middle and laid her head on his sternum. The bone was hard beneath her, far from the most comfortable experience she'd ever had. Yet he was warm, and the weight of his arms resting just below her shoulder blades gave her comfort that only complimented the humming of magic from his bones. She had buried her face in his jacket and asked him questions about Waterfall as she breathed in his strange scent, stronger now that she was so close to him, whereas she had only caught small hints from his hoodie before.

Snow. The unmistakably pure scent of snow and pine, like the trees surrounding Snowdin. There was something else, entirely indescribable, that reminded her of magic and warmth. Even now, with only the memory of his arms around her and his bed to comfort her, she could imagine the scent as if he laid beside her.

When did she become so sensitive to that detail?

Evelynne laid stiffly in the bed, thinking of the shorter skeleton. He had helped them so much, yet she felt a firm feeling of detachment. She was unwilling to open herself fully to someone so new, yet she found that trusting him was easy. She had known him for only a few weeks, yet felt joy and security from his presence. His anger hardly frightened her, but certainly upset her. His concern she found to be almost endearing, as if she truly mattered to him. It was...it was...

Evelynne pushed herself up, feeling the sting of tears at her dry, tired eyes. She could feel the puffiness of her skin from earlier. Sans had told her more facts about the Underground, dotted with the occasional joke to distract her. She remembered the beginning of a story about a trip with Papyrus to see the bridge seeds before her memory ended, and she realized that she must have fallen asleep in the middle of the tale. She ran a hand through her hair as she scanned the room. She was clearly alone, yet the darkness was so thick that she could hardly see her hands as she brought them up in front of her face. She wondered briefly if she should be worried, as there were no sounds in the house and it must have been late, before remembering that it was always light outside in the Underground, and Sans must have simply closed the curtains over his window. Using her limited memory of his room, Evelynne removed herself from the bed and carefully moved toward the small sliver of light visible around the curtains.

Wincing at the sudden bright lights from the lamps outside, she turned and examined his room. The computer was off, chair tucked neatly under the desk. Her nearly empty bag of food sat idly by the bed, and Evelynne made a mental note to come back and clean up after herself. Scanning the room, she took note that she could not find her clothes anywhere. Frowning, she wondered if she should even leave the room. The hoodie fell almost to mid-thigh, sure, but she hardly wanted to walk around in front of Frisk and Papyrus in such a state. Again.

Determined to explore the silent house and find Frisk, Evelynne immediately moved over to the dresser, pulling open the drawer and fishing out clothing. She pulled out something soft and red, smiling triumphantly as it unfolded to reveal a pair of shorts similar in length to the ones Sans seemed to prefer. She slipped them on, finding them to be just a bit loose on her thin frame, before exiting the room slowly.

The entire house was silent, but all of the lights were on. Shutting the door quietly behind her, she padded down the hall and opened Papyrus's bedroom door to find the lights off and the room empty. Frowning, she continued her search downstairs, finding the living room and kitchen to be in a similar state. Worry etched itself onto Evelynne's features, even as she tried to push down her anxiety. Where was Frisk? She shuffled over to the window, looking out at the moderately busy town. It was still early. Monsters were moving around, going for walks and shopping. Perhaps they were outside having another snowball fight?

A chill tore through her, and, with hesitation, she decided that she had to wait. She begrudgingly turned away from the window and moved to the couch, plopping down in a way that reminded her very much of Frisk throwing her quiet tantrums. The silence of the house was deafening, and Evelynne was suddenly faced with nothing but her thoughts. She was beginning to feel an extreme dislike for that. She moved her legs up and under her, curling up to stay as warm as possible as she waited for someone to return home.

The plan. Evelynne sighed, bringing a hand up to rub at her temples. Now that the Riverperson was an option, traveling back to...wherever that was...wouldn't be an issue. Or, at least she hoped it wouldn't be. Would Undyne continue to search for them there? The fish monster seemed to have difficulties in the heat under all that armor. Maybe that was the safest place to be? Or did Asgore reside there? Regardless, they still had to get to the barrier, and they should plan for more murdery monsters. Should they arm themselves? The answer came to her almost immediately as she recalled her horror when Undyne laid motionless after her involuntary attack. No, she couldn't hurt another being even if her life depended on it...

But what about Frisk? If Frisk's life depended on it, would she kill a monster? The question made Evelynne shift uneasily. She certainly had come to care for the girl very much. Frisk was sweet and innocent, yet determined and smart. She had proven that she could handle herself, but missteps happen. What then? Perhaps she would. She really didn't want to find out.

Evelynne was reminded of herself, as a child. New to the hospital, she had little guidance and few friendly faces. She had to rely on herself above everyone else, a lesson she learned the hard way. She didn't want Frisk to end up as hurt as she had, lost in a world of adults who cared very little for her.

"Heya."

She jumped, a small yelp of surprise leaving her. Immediately her hands shot up to cover her mouth, a blush forming in embarrassment as Sans chuckled deeply behind her. She sent him a weak glare as he moved around the couch, but dropped it almost immediately. His laughter sent warmth through her.

What was going on?

"Sans! That wasn't funny!" She frowned at him, and he simply shrugged in response, though his grin was wide.

"I dunno, I found it pretty _humerus_. Really tickled my _funny_ _bone_."

"Oh my god." Evelynne tried to sound aggravated, but her voice shook with mirth prompted both from amusement and nerves. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard a sound. Or maybe he just appeared behind her?

"Nah, just Sans," he replied, moving to sit on the couch next to her. In his hands was a bundle of cloth that looked familiar to her. "I brought your clothes," he said, pushing the items toward her. She quickly snatched them from him, blushing.

"You know," she swallowed, pushing away her insecurity. "That's the second time you've stripped me and cleaned my clothes." She was hoping he'd correct her, that someone else removed her clothing at least once. Instead, he winked at her.

"Don't worry about it. S'not a big deal."

She frowned, looking down at the neatly folded clothes. Not a speck of blood or dirt could be seen from this angle. "It is," she whispered, picking at a loose thread. Did he...repair them? "Thank you so much," she muttered, swinging her legs off the couch and moving to stand.

"Hey, uh...those my shorts?" She froze, warmth attacking her face so intensely she was sure she looked like a tomato.

"Uhm, I...uh...yes?" She looked back at him tentatively to see a strange expression on his face. His grin looked strained, his pupils large. Was that sweat on his skull? No way...

"Heh," he let the dry laugh sit for a moment, his gaze moving up slowly from his shorts to her face. "Guess that's what I get for leaving you _sans_ pants, huh?" Oh, that was a good one. Instead of laughing like she so badly wanted to do, she instead felt her face grow even warmer.

"Bathroom!" She exclaimed, hugging her clothes close and practically running up the stairs. She slammed the bathroom door closed and locked it behind her, taking slow yet deep breaths. It seemed her body was finally becoming cautious of irritating her lungs on its own.

Embarrassment still burned on her face as she moved in, placing her clothes on the counter before taking a quick look at herself in the mirror. Yup, definitely red.

 _Sans_ pants. Why hadn't she thought of that?

She unzipped Sans's hoodie slowly, regretting the action immediately as she shivered. Folding the piece of clothing, she quickly stripped herself of his shorts and repeated the action, both items placed carefully on the counter. Her black bra was still on and holding strong, and she turned in front of the mirror to examine the article of clothing to make sure she wouldn't have any accidents in the near future. The bra was in good shape. But other issues were making themselves known.

Evelynne had always been thin. As a child she and her brother played outside a lot, running around and climbing trees whenever they were able. In the hospital, her diet had been very strict and controlled. But now, despite all of the cinnamon bunnies, nice creams, spider donuts, and spaghetti, Evelynne could see that she was losing weight. Sure, her cheeks were always a little hollow. But she's never been able to see her spine so well before. Her ribs were slightly outlined as well, and she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of panic. That wasn't normal, right? She should definitely be gaining weight, right?

Further down, Evelynne could see her newest scar. It stood angry and red against her skin, and she took a moment to marvel at the power of healing magic. At least she didn't feel any more pain. Still, Evelynne brought a hand up to her lower ribs, staring at herself in the mirror. She'd need to eat more, when possible. Perhaps Sans would be willing to go to Grillby's while they waited for Frisk and Papyrus to get back?

Evelynne pushed her concerns aside for the time being, unfolding her clean clothes. Where were her boots? She'd have to ask later. Her clothes looked almost as good as new, with no trace of blood stains. Did he hand wash them? Pushing the question to the back of her mind, she pulled on her clothing and sighed at the familiar feeling. She didn't want to think about how she had been cleaned of dirt and blood. She didn't want to think about how much work it must have been to clean the stains out of the clothes. She just wanted to pretend the previous day hadn't happened. How was she even going to begin to repay them?

Frowning, Evelynne leaned forward toward the sink, turning on the faucet and splashing her face with freezing cold water. There was little she could offer them, whether it be here or on the surface. She owned nothing, had no skills...she was more a hindrance than anything. Drying her face on the hanging towel, she stopped, looking down at the plush orange material. She ran her hands gently over it, enjoying the feeling of the soft fabric. They'd never get to the surface without another soul. Just one more soul. One more soul and Sans could see the stars. Papyrus could cook hundreds of types of spaghetti. Monster Kid could play under the sun. Toriel could start a school.

What did she have waiting for her on the surface? Her brother. But he was successful and quite used to living without her in his life. She was only a hindrance to him. He always sacrificed time to come visit her. For what? She gave him nothing. The moment she stepped foot on the surface, she'd probably be carted straight back to the mental institution, never to see her friend again. What was her life worth, in comparison to the lives of so many monsters? Just how many people were stuck down here, trying to survive with rapidly declining space and resources? All things considered, why wouldn't she give her soul for the good of the Underground population?

Pulling back, Evelynne took one more look in the mirror. Dark bags had appeared under her eyes, a sign of her exhaustion. She was tired and terrified, frightened by the Underground and the Surface. She didn't belong anywhere, did no good anywhere. Perhaps this was her one true purpose in life? To free these wonderful beings wrongfully trapped underneath the soil with her useless soul. For Sans, and Papyrus, and Toriel, and Frisk.

It was not long after this decision that Evelynne left the bathroom, quiet sounds of MTT entertainment floating up from the television downstairs. The noise was welcome in helping her push away the negative thoughts that currently refused to leave her mind. She walked quietly down the steps, watching as Sans's gaze slowly slid from the television to her approaching form. As she reached the landing, she stopped, gaze flicking over to the window instinctively for any indication of how late it was.

Right, always light outside. She gave a frustrated sigh, pushing away the twinge of annoyance. She was starting to feel concerned for Frisk. With Papyrus or not, she wanted to see her alive and well with her own two eyes.

"You okay?"

Evelynne looked back over at Sans, observing his slightly concerned expression. "Yeah, I'm just..." she paused, searching for something to put his mind at ease, but coming up empty-handed. She moved to sit on the couch beside him, throwing another concerned glance at the window, as if she would see them passing by at the moment. "Where did you say Papyrus and Frisk were, again?"

"Oh, uh..." his pause unnerved her, and suddenly she was looking at him intensely as he straightened and rubbed the back of his neck. Her heart sped, and soon she felt very nervous. Was he hiding something? "I think they said they were going to talk to Undyne."

Evelynne stared, blinking blankly at him once, twice, waiting for the punchline. When none came, and his slightly timid stare began to morph into one of concern, she found herself bolting forward, legs moving without her consent. "Ev, wait...!" Evelynne reached out, about to grab the door handle and run through the snow barefoot all the way to Waterfall, before suddenly the door burst open and slammed against the wall. Evelynne, unable to fight her forward momentum, found herself colliding with something very solid, sending her to the ground. She yelped at the pain that shot up her spine. "Hey, Undyne."

At Sans's greeting, her head snapped up and her gaze locked with a familiar and terrifying eye. Undyne's arms were crossed over her chest, scowling down at Evelynne. Even dressed in jeans and a black tank, the fish monster was terrifying. Muscles were clearly defined in her arms and beneath her clothes, and just the force at which she was knocked backward told of the woman's strength. Evelynne gasped in shock and fear, pushing herself back away from the fish monster. Disbelief and betrayal invaded her thoughts. Had Sans kept her here for Undyne? Was Frisk dead? How could they do that to them-

"Relax, punk. I'm not here to kill you," Undyne said, and Evelynne looked up once again to see an amused expression on the warrior's face. She wasn't going to kill her? Oh no, then Frisk really was dead, wasn't she? From behind Undyne, a familiar skeleton appeared, looking down at Evelynne with interest.

"Oh! Tall human! Why are you on the ground?" He asked loudly, concern shadowing his normally bright features. He didn't look upset? Before she could say anything, or scream, or cry, another body ran in from outside, pushing past Papyrus and leaping into Evelynne's arms. She found herself laying back, her head aching from a sudden and unexpected meeting with the floor. Frisk's worried face came into view, and Evelynne was brought back to life, her arms wrapping around Frisk tightly.

"You're okay!" She muttered into the girl's hair. Frisk nodded before pushing back, looking at Evelynne with obvious concern. "I'm okay, too. I promise," she assured her, smiling softly before turning her gaze back up to a bored looking Royal Guard. Still struggling to understand what was happening, she quickly tried to form a sentence that wouldn't anger Undyne. "So, uhm...you're just...done? We're not going to die?" Yes, that was intelligent sounding. Her voice even wavered on the last word, and she immediately regretted asking. Maybe she was just playing with them...

"Nah. We're besties now!"

Evelynne could only imagine how stupid she looked, sitting on the ground and staring up at the blue woman with wide, dumb, doe eyes, jaw slack in shock. "I...wha?"

"That's right, tall human! The tiny human and I went to visit Undyne at her home pre-fire, and we discussed the small yet important details of best friendship!" Undyne's grin faltered slightly, looking more annoyed than happy about the 'best friendship.'

Wait.

"Pre...fire?" At her question, Papyrus suddenly blushed, looking at a sheepish Undyne.

"Ah, yeah? The cooking lesson got a little out of hand, today," she said nervously, scratching at the back of her head. An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment, no one quite sure what to say, until Papyrus grinned widely.

"But we are safe, and that is all that matters! And we have a new roommate!" he added, looking more confident once again. "Now, come, friends! A new episode of cooking with Mettaton will be on soon!" he practically screeched, lifting Frisk up from the ground in his left arm and grabbing Undyne's arm with his right hand before promptly running over to the couch.

"Ugh! Not that stupid freaking box," Undyne muttered, even as she was practically thrown on the couch, Papyrus plopping down next to her with a giggling Frisk between them. Evelynne stared at the scene with shock and confusion, rooted to her spot on the floor for another few moments as she tried to sort through her feelings. Her heart was in her throat, and nausea had seated itself deep in the pit of her stomach. Half of her wanted to grab Frisk and run. It had to be a trap.

The other half of her wanted desperately to return to bed.

A bony hand appeared in her vision, and Evelynne followed its arm up to Sans. After a moment of staring, and patience on Sans's part, she reached up to tightly grasp his hand. He pulled her up gently, giving her what looked to be a calm smile. At least she was definitely getting better at reading the minute changes in his facial expression. She felt herself relax and return his smile, albeit a little hesitantly.

How did he make her feel so safe?

"Hey! Nerds! Get over here! It's bonding time!" Undyne shouted, tossing them what looked to be both a menacing and friendly grin all at the same time. Her teeth looked so sharp. The couch was the last place Evelynne wanted to be right now. She struggled to understand that Undyne was here passively. No, she needed some distance; a place to freak out just outside of the woman's line of sight. She removed her gaze from Undyne's, gripping Sans's hand tighter in her distress before removing hers from his comforting grip.

"I'm gonna look for popcorn," she muttered, uncertain if anyone other than Sans heard her as she quickly moved toward the kitchen.

She missed the intense look Undyne focused on Sans, grin forgotten.

Entering the kitchen, she drew in a deep breath. She had to calm herself and get her head straight. Everything was beginning to feel blurred as if she was being drawn into a tornado of confusion and insanity. She pushed herself up on the counter beside the stove, groaning quietly. The television in the next room was blaring, as it usually was when Papyrus watched MTT programs. She could hear Papyrus shouting something about spaghetti, and Evelynne guessed Mettaton was cooking it on this episode.

Undyne was in the house and was no longer going to kill them. She had to accept that first. Things didn't always make sense in the Underground, sure...but what did Frisk and Papyrus do to change the woman's mind? Had they come to some sort of deal? She had to talk to Frisk. Maybe she'd be willing to shed some light on the situation.

Regardless, they were safe for now. That meant Evelynne could continue to accompany Frisk through the Underground until they reached the barrier. She had a feeling that if they found the barrier, they'd find Asgore. Toriel had warned them that Asgore would try to take their souls. So, he was whom she needed to see. After all, she certainly wasn't going to ask Undyne to take her soul now. She still needed to protect Frisk for as long as she could. Until the child could return home.

"Hey." Evelynne jumped, looking up with alarm to see Sans had decided to join her in the kitchen. "Don't mean to _pop_ in, but your excuse was real _corny_. You okay?"

Evelynne stared at him for a moment, taking in his concern. He always took the time to be concerned for them. He took care of them. He brought them food, gave them money, a place to stay, supplies...but it was indirect. He'd never admitted to giving them gold. He'd never admitted to being worried for their well-being. He just gave when they needed, and gave a little too much.

In the hospital, she was always cared for. Everything, from how long she walked, where she could go, what she ate and read and thought about. Her decisions were always questioned and steered. But this was a very different care. This was...it was...

Nice. So, so nice.

Evelynne smiled at him, a genuine smile that was brighter than any other smile she'd given him all day.

"I'm fine, Sans," she said softly, looking down at her hand in her lap. "Just...thinking how lucky we are. Well, that's a lie." She laughed softly. "I came in here out of shock and confusion. But I'm just going to have to accept things the way they are, right? Undyne...she isn't really going to kill us." Sans, who had been standing in the doorway, moving to stand next to her, directly in front of the oven.

"Nah. Undyne can be, uh...a little intense. But she'll grow on ya." Evelynne huffed, though it was followed by a soft laugh.

"Yeah, I can't wait for that to happen." Silence fell over them, and it was comfortable. She felt relaxed, her inner turmoil calming. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted so badly to tell him her plan and seek advice. But she knew he'd tell her to change her mind. Or maybe he wouldn't. Maybe his desire to reach the surface was greater than his desire to keep Frisk and Evelynne as friends. She found that unlikely. She also found that she really didn't want to know if she was correct. She trusted him more than anyone else. Well, except his brother. In fact, she could think of four other people she trusted so implicitly. That was it. She didn't feel too sad about that.

But if she trusted him enough to consider telling him her plan, she could at least put her mind at ease. "Sans," she began, returning her gaze to her lap. Another shout was heard from Papyrus, this time accompanied quickly by Undyne, about incorrect cooking methods. "I have something to ask of you." Silence met her, and suddenly it wasn't as comfortable. "I...I would like you to watch after Frisk, for me. If anything happens to me." Her hands balled into fists, thinking back to how close she'd been to death by glowing cyan spear. "Undyne almost killed me, and I was warned about someone else as well." If she met Asgore before she made it to the barrier, would she give him his soul? Would she trust him to not hurt Frisk? Did he hate humans? "I just...I want to be prepared." _For my death._ "I want Frisk to get back to the surface. She has to have a home...a family, waiting for her." _Unlike me._ "I don't know why she was on the mountain, but she wants to get to the barrier. She wants to go back." Evelynne finally looked up at him, gaze pleading. "If you can just promise to watch out for her, if I...if I die." Her words sat heavily between them. He was watching her with an unreadable expression, but his pupils were dim. Once again, Evelynne found herself asking that question.

What does that mean?

Finally, after what seemed like ages, he shrugged, gaze turning gentle before he closed his eyes. "Heh," it was a dry chuckle. Almost...hesitant? "I don't usually like making promises, but...sure, I'll keep an eye socket on the kiddo for ya."

It was at that moment Evelynne learned just how much she had come to care and feel responsible for Frisk. It was like a heavy weight had been lifted from her soul. He promised. He'd keep her safe.

"Good," she breathed, "good. Thank you-"

"But ya know, both of you could just stay here."

She froze, staring at him with wide eyes. "I, uhm...I don't think we can stay for much longer, Sans. I mean, we spent a few weeks here last time. We don't want to impose-"

"Move in." He asked, cutting her off. Her breath caught in her throat. He wanted them to move in? No. There was no way. He must just feel bad, for them. Suddenly, he began to look nervous, his grin straining. Yep, that was definitely sweat on his skull. "Pap and I, we like having you around. Both of ya." He seemed to hesitate for a moment as if he hadn't properly thought through this speech. It must have been a spur of the moment offer. "You and the kid make him happy, and that makes me happy. I can help you with your magic and nightmares. I have some...ideas." He had removed his gaze from hers, looking cryptically off to the side. "Anyways, _pun_ ny people like us have to stick together." He ended with a light chuckle as if he felt more casual than he looked. The small joke seemed to relax him, though, as the strain and sweat were gone.

Regardless of his comfort, Evelynne continued to stare with furrowed brows. She wanted so badly to say yes. She wanted to stay here in the Underground with these wonderful people and meet more wonderful people. She wanted to feel cared for. She loved this innocent little snowy town, She loved the strange whispering flowers and the luminescent waters and the _statue_ in Waterfall. She loved these strange, hilarious skeletons, and the lovely goat monster she so badly wanted to visit. But...

"I...don't know, Sans," she said hesitantly, looking away from him. "I'd need to talk to Frisk about it. I-I want to, but..." She resisted the urge once again to tell him. No, it would not matter if they worked on her magic. No, it did not matter if she had a place to stay after Frisk went home. She was just a messenger, now. She had a new goal.

Why was it so easy to accept?

She smiled gently at Sans. This was the best thing she could do, for her friends. "Do you want to see the surface, Sans? If the barrier came down, would you go?" Her question obviously caught him off guard, his eye sockets widening for a moment before his pupils dimmed again, just slightly. He seemed to look at her intensely as he considered his answer before shrugging.

"I'd go where Pap goes." Of course. His tone was guarded, but Evelynne shook her head and smiled. He loved his brother enough to throw away his own wants and needs, it seemed. She wasn't sure if that was sweet or concerning.

"But you don't have any desire to go there? If Papyrus asked what you wanted, would you remain here?" She was morbidly curious, at this point, to hear what she'd be giving to him. She wanted to justify to herself her own death. She wanted a connection.

Sans searched her eyes and face for something. He was obviously slightly uncomfortable with her line of questioning, though she figured he may not understand why. After all, she hadn't mentioned sacrificing herself. This would be out of nowhere.

"Getting to the surface doesn't really appeal to me anymore." Evelynne felt a pang of disappointment at his response, and it must have shown on her face, as he quickly continued speaking, his gaze sliding to the side once more. "I...would like to see the sky, though," he finally admitted, and Evelynne was brought back to their first conversation in Waterfall.

"Maybe one day you'll get to see the stars, Sans," she said softly, her smile faltering. It was a shame she wouldn't get to see them with him. He looked back at her, a browbone raised questioningly. He was about to ask her something when a loud shout once again came from the living room, causing Evelynne to jump. They sat in silence for only a moment longer before Sans spoke.

"Guess we should probably head back out there. Undyne still seems a little suspicious of you." Evelynne trusted his judgment, and she chose not to question his words, nodding instead. She jumped down from the counter and followed him out and over to the couch. She felt more confident now as she moved to join everyone. Sans sat on the arm of the couch, directly next to the only space left. Accepting her fate, she found herself squished between Undyne and Sans, but not uncomfortable. It was almost nice, though she leaned closer to Sans than Undyne.

"There you nerds are! You missed most of the show, what gives?" Undyne asked, glaring with narrowed eyes at them. Evelynne felt slightly unnerved, but Sans's smooth voice answered for her.

"Couldn't find the popcorn. Guess we're out."

Undyne continued to observe them through narrowed eyes for too long, Evelynne's comfort decreasing rapidly, before finally she shrugged and turned back to the television. Unfortunately, Evelynne could still feel her shoulders sitting tense, and she had apparently forgotten how to relax them. At least, until Sans's hand laid on her upper back, and suddenly she found it quite easy to relax.

Right, he was still there. He wouldn't let anything bad happen to her.

"Nyeh heh! Tiny human! I see you wish to cuddle with The Great Papyrus!" Evelynne looked past Undyne to see Frisk had crawled into Papyrus's lap, yawning. "Indeed, who wouldn't? Well, have no fear! The Great Papyrus loves to cuddle!" He quickly threw his arms around the softly giggling girl, laughing with her as she squirmed for the leverage to return the embrace. Evelynne watched with a distant smile, leaning back into the couch as Undyne began complaining about nerds and weak hugs. It almost seemed...unreal. She let herself enjoy the feeling, if only for a little longer, of home.

* * *

Okay, there it is! Please leave a review to let me know how we're doing!

Also, NOT gonna stop updating on here. That's the plan, anyway. I think I may have figured the tech issue out. But, for now. Yay?

Shout outs to **Razaraga, madmalitiangamer, KHR-Yunalesca, LainaFantasyGirl, WandererRaen, Mai'shardstyle, Elyryn, rainbows51743,** **Lorelalaley,** and a guest for responding to my questions and leaving me wonderful things to read! You guys rock! Seriously I love comments.

Ch 28 won't take long! Next up, Hotland ;)

ILYA! SYANU!


	28. Hotland

**AN:** HELLOOO!

Hi. Yes. Hello. It is the end of my summer. As of Monday last week, my job has officially entered "get crap done" mode, which will continue until classes start. This means, I am dead busy...LITERALLY dead busy, until mid-december. SO! I have written ahead two more chapters, and plan to at least write one more within these next two/three weeks. I have an update schedule, which will be once for these next couple of months. Sorry! It's the best I could do! Especially since tonsillitis destroyed my last two weeks of vacation. Which was just joyful, let me tell you. Anyway, I'll still update my Tumblr every now and again, so make sure to drop by and see how I'm doing, or leave me an ask and I'll answer! or fan art ;) I'd love to see more of that!

Also **Important Important Important** message at the end of this chapter.

Song of the Update, which I forgot for the last chapter. Head over to youtube and search::: [SFM/FNAF/Music] - Music Box Remix Animated posted by MrBreino . It's a cool little remix of some Five Nights at Freddy's music, so check it out! I rock out to it sometimes while cooking.

PS: I posted a new one-shot a couple weeks ago, Fifteen Days to Love You. It's sad, and sort of a therapy post for me, but I'd love for you guys to check it out and tell me what you think! It's a different style and universe!

Okay enough from me for now.

ENJOY!

* * *

 _knock knock knock._

Evelynne squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore the soft knocks coming from somewhere around her. She was warm and comfortable, snuggled deep into a bed that was beginning to smell familiar. Her light, dreamless sleep had been interrupted by the gentle sound, leaving her feeling both refreshed and annoyed. She wanted to curl further into herself and drift back off into a sea of darkness and silence, ignoring the anxiety and confusion that had been plaguing her waking hours.

 _Knock knock knock._

Huffing, Evelynne turned over onto her back slowly, the sheets wrapping around her as she moved. She effectively cocooned herself, leaving her feeling slightly trapped as she glared up at the ceiling. The room was bathed in a soft blue glow, and she focused on this fact to help bring her back to the waking world, her memories slowly trickling back to her. Sans had insisted she sleep in his bed, ignoring her protests and claiming that he didn't need sleep. He must have been working on his computer all night. Why, then, wouldn't he answer the door...?

Turning her head slightly, she found the computer across the room, a lump in the chair illuminated as it sat dead still. Sans, with his head tucked in his folded arms on the desk, sat motionlessly. He didn't seem to even breathe, and she found herself captivated by this discovery. Didn't he breathe? She was almost certain she had felt the steady rise and fall of his chest when he'd held her. Yet as she watched, he sat as still as the dead.

Dead. Was he dead? No. Monsters turn to dust when they die. He had been fine a few hours ago. Perhaps skeleton monsters didn't need to breathe, then. He wasn't disintegrating...Evelynne shivered as she took a moment to wonder how it must feel to disintegrate into thousands of tiny particles. Would it hurt? Did monsters feel that?

 _Knock knock knock **knock** **knock**._

Fearing that the knocking would wake Sans, who very obviously _did_ need sleep, Evelynne fought silently to untangle herself from the sheets, sighing as she was freed from the restrictive tension. Finally slipping from the bed, a chill immediately ripped through her, the temperature of Snowdin once again effecting the room drastically. She steeled herself, resisting the urge to return to the warm bed, and shuffled quietly over to the door. Turning the knob, she met the resistance of the lock, causing her to frown and glance at Sans. Why had he locked the door? Evelynne flipped the lock, opening the door and allowing her eyes to adjust to the slightly lighter hallway, her eyes resting on a completely dressed girl. Frisk looked up at her with a hesitant, sad, yet determined expression. It unsettled Evelynne, and she nervously glanced over at Sans one last time before she stepped out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"What's wrong Frisk? Did you have a nightmare?" Evelynne knew why Frisk was there. She knew that determined look. But still, she asked, hopeful that she'd be able to stay warm and comfortable a little longer. That she'd be able to stay happy, a little longer.

How much more of their journey remained? How much time did she have?

...Was that Undyne, snoring?

"We have to leave," Frisk whispered, and Evelynne immediately took an involuntary deep breath, as if it pained her.

"Right now? While everyone is sleeping? Can't we wait until someone wakes up?" Evelynne asked, grimacing at the thought of leaving without a word. The skeleton brothers had been so accommodating to them. Frisk seemed to love it here. Why would she want to leave without a goodbye?

Frisk shook her head, pouting at Evelynne's questioning. "Please," she pleaded, fixing Evelynne with a sad stare. She grabbed Evelynne's arm in an attempt to bring attention to her urgency. Tears were gathering in her eyes, and Evelynne immediately melted.

"Okay," she sighed, wincing at her agreement. "Alright, just...let me get dressed." She whispered, bringing her hand up to ruffle Frisk's hair gently before standing. Frisk, looking relieved, nodded and turned, making a beeline for the staircase. Downstairs, the sound of a lawnmower could be heard.

No, Undyne. Undyne snoring.

Evelynne forced herself quietly back into Sans's room, shutting and locking the door behind her. Sans was still sleeping heavily. He hadn't moved an inch. She bit her lip, wondering if she should let him sleep or wake him. She knew he always took naps during the day, and she had a suspicion that was due to insomnia. Her desire to at least say goodbye outweighed her concern, however, and she slowly stepped up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and shaking gently.

"Sans," she whispered, watching his face carefully. Not a twitch. She shook a little harder, spoke a little louder and closer to his skull. Still, he did not move. With a sigh, Evelynne pulled back. He obviously needed the rest. Turning, Evelynne collected her pants from the treadmill and slipped them on, fixing her rumpled shirt and slipping on her boots as quickly and quietly as possible. She ran her hand through her slightly mussed hair, hoping she looked somewhat presentable before heading over to the door, hand resting on the knob. She froze, looking back over at Sans.

Did the skeleton brothers feel temperature? Did they ever get cold? It was freezing in the room, as far as she was concerned. She moved over to the bed, pulling up the thin sheet and dragging it over to Sans, carefully draping it over him and biting her lip. Would she see him or Papyrus again?

Satisfied that she'd made him more comfortable, she moved out of the room into the noisy hallway, Undyne's snores sounding louder with every step toward the staircase. Frisk waited patiently by the door, one arm buried in her backpack, likely taking inventory. As Evelynne approached, she drew back and closed the bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

"Ready to go?" Evelynne whispered, reaching out for Frisk's hand. The child's tiny fingers gripped her wrist as if to pull her, and she smiled bitterly. She felt like, despite their goals, she really would need some of Frisk's determination to move forward. "Okay, then. Let's go!"

* * *

"Tra la la. Beware the man who speaks in hands~"

"I'm...sorry?"

"He who is not there, but always listening~"

Evelynne stared up with furrowed brows, mind racing to process what the Riverperson said. The man who speaks in hands? Did she know anyone who did that? The short exchange had left an ominous feeling weighing on her shoulders. It felt important. Why did she-

"Are you okay?"

She blinked, her eyes coming back into focus and her senses focusing in on her surroundings. Frisk was still holding her hand tightly, leading her from the river as she tossed a look of concern over her shoulder. When had they left the boat?

"I'm fine, I'm just..." Evelynne paused, unsure of how to put her concerns into words. The warning had left a dark spot in her mind, filled her relevant information that she just couldn't reach. What does it mean to speak in hands? Sign language? Gestures?

Suddenly, Evelynne stopped, her memories pulling up a blurry computer screen. Hadn't there been hand symbols in the text? Someone that isn't there? Was it a computer program?

"Frisk, did you hear the Riverperson? Beware the man who speaks in hands?" Frisk nodded eagerly, eyes lighting up at the subject. "It's just...I saw something weird on Sans's...his...oh my god!" she hissed, pulling her hand from Frisk's and frantically patting her pockets, turning them out when she felt nothing in them.

The key.

The key was gone.

Had he found it? Is that why he had been upset with her? He must have figured out that she snuck into his room. Suddenly things began to make sense, and she groaned as she worried that perhaps, this time, she'd really messed up. He would never trust her again. He would never want to speak with her again.

Evelynne forced herself to take a breath. That wasn't true. Just last night, he'd offered for them to move in. Perhaps he'd already forgiven her. She had to apologize to him, later. She'd call Papyrus and ask for Sans...

Frisk grabbed Evelynne's hand, pulling to gain her attention and looking up at her curiously. With a sigh, Evelynne shook her head.

"Never mind. It doesn't matter," she mumbled, trying to focus her mind on the task at hand. Ignoring Frisk's concerned stare, she moved forward, Frisk lagging behind slightly.

Five minutes of silence. It was difficult for Evelynne to stay out of her head, her mind jumbled as she tried to put puzzle pieces together that just didn't seem to fit. The computer message definitely had hand symbols in it. Perhaps that was related? Maybe there was someone in the Underground hacking the computers? No. That sounded stupid. Evelynne glanced over at Frisk, narrowing her eyes. Would Frisk know anything about it? She didn't seem to know anything about the strange door...She shook her head. No. It didn't matter anyway. Focus.

Evelynne looked ahead, nearly pausing as she finally noticed two large guards dressed in heavy black armor. They both looked huge and muscular, one wearing a spiked helmet while the other wore one with horns. The stood shoulder to shoulder, blocking the northern path with their giant bodies. A few weeks ago, Evelynne would have been terrified of these two guards. But now? It was just another day in the Underground.

That thought was both encouraging and depressing.

"Uhm, excuse me," Evelynne began, but one guard held up a hand.

"Sorry...Undyne, like, told us there was totally a human in the area."

Evelynne's eyes widened in surprise at the guard's accent. Sure, she had heard plenty of different accents down here so far. Some of the rabbit monsters had a southern accent. Sans and Undyne had an accent that sounded similar to her own. Papyrus...well, he was unique, rolling and flicking his r's and carefully choosing and articulating his language carefully. This guard reminded her of the cheesy surfer films her mother used to watch, and she inwardly groaned. She was already annoyed by the sound.

"Us Royal guards are blocking off the elevator now." He groaned, a sound that Evelynne could place as frustrated or determined. "Even if the elevators aren't working anyway, we'll do our best, Ms. Undyne!" the guard exclaimed, straightening slightly as if Undyne stood in front of him. She seemed to be greatly respected throughout the entire Underground.

It must have been difficult to turn her back on the entire Underground. Evelynne made a mental note to speak to Frisk about Undyne as soon as they made it past these guards. For now...

"Is there any other way through?" she asked carefully, glancing around quickly. The path to the left was the bridge, and she was not interested in returning to that location. To the right was a large metal building with a large red neon sign that read "Lab." It seemed to be their only other option.

"Like, no way you're getting by us. But, between you and me," the guard leaned in, his massive head stopping just inches from her. For the first time during the entire exchange, Evelynne tensed, preparing herself for a surprise attack. "I think you could go through that creepy lab over there," he whispered, immediately pulling back and straightening. "Between you, me, and my bro here, I mean. I tell him all my secrets." Evelynne relaxed, arching a brow as she looked between the talkative guard and his silent companion before hesitantly nodding. As far as she's seen, his bro wasn't even a real living monster. The guard hadn't so much as moved since their arrival. Best not to ask questions.

"Sure...thank you," Evelynne said, smiling before turning and leading Frisk quickly away from the guards and toward the building. She looked over her shoulder once they were a fair distance away, checking to make sure that the guards weren't watching them before stopping and looking at the building apprehensively. "He's right. It looks a building straight out of a sci-fi novel." She looked down at Frisk, still clinging to her hand tightly. "You've been leading this journey of ours. I..." she paused, choosing her words carefully. "...I trust you. We need to get to the barrier together. Do, do we go through the creepy lab?" Frisk opened her mouth to reply when a familiar sound cut her off. The phone in Frisk's bag was ringing loudly. Frisk quickly removed her hand from Evelynne's grasp and took off her bag, digging through it and pulling out the old phone.

Papyrus's name lit the screen. Evelynne quickly took the phone and answered, putting it up to her ear. "Papyrus, I am so sorr-"

"Not this time."

Evelynne froze, momentarily stunned before pulling the phone away from her ear and checking the screen. Yep, it definitely said Papyrus. It was still early. Papyrus was normally up at this time, sure, but not him. His tone...he didn't sound too happy.

"Sans!" a familiar voice called from the background, "I told you to call the humans with your phone! Not mine!" Papyrus yelled, his voice gaining volume as he approached the phone.

"Heh, sorry bro. Too lazy to get my phone," he teased, his voice considerably lighter as he addressed his brother.

So, Sans did have his own phone.

"Sans," Evelynne muttered, attempting to regain his attention. "Why have you called?" She doubted it was out of pure concern that Sans would call her. Papyrus, yes. But Sans didn't seem the type.

"We were worried, human!" Papyrus called. Clearly, she was on speaker phone. Or Papyrus's hearing was amazing. "My brother and I woke up without our sleepover companions! You didn't even leave a note!" He sounded so distressed that Evelynne pouted. Papyrus would break her heart one day, she was sure.

"I'm sorry. Frisk was in such a hurry," Frisk looked up and narrowed her eyes, clearly not happy with Evelynne throwing her under the bus. Evelynne responded with a half-hearted glare as she stuck her tongue out before continuing. "Sans, I tried to wake you, but you didn't respond...You looked like you really needed the rest. I was going to text you soon, Papyrus. I promise." She spoke quickly in fear that she'd once again messed up. She couldn't handle the thought of Papyrus being mad at her. Even if it wasn't really her fault.

"It is okay, human! I understand." He stilled sounded sad, and Evelynne bit her lip.

"I'll make it up to you, Papyrus. The next time we see each other, we'll cook the best spaghetti dish yet," she said, trying to fight back the negative thoughts that came with her empty promise. She had a sneaking suspicion she wouldn't see him again, and it chipped away at her confidence. She hoped the strain in her voice didn't translate over the phone, even as Frisk's annoyed expression melted to confusion.

"Nyeh heh! I shall look forward to this evening of masterful cuisine, human!" Papyrus exclaimed, and Evelynne grimaced.

"Yeah, me too, Papyrus!" She forced enthusiasm. She would not let Papyrus know. She couldn't.

"Where are you?" Sans asked, his tone concerned. Evelynne glanced back up at the looming building ahead.

"Well, we just got off the boat across the bridge in Waterfall. By your stand?"

"You're in Hotland. Are you okay?" Well, at least Evelynne knew to expect something dangerous here. Why else would he ask that?

"Yeah, we're fine. We're about to go into a building-"

"Ah, yes! The mysterious science-y house!" Papyrus yelled, and Evelynne heard something that sounded suspiciously like Sans snickering.

"Uh, the lab, Pap."

"Lab?"

"Like...Laboratory."

"L-labra...dory?" A loud and dramatic intake of air. "Does that mean there are dogs inside?" Papyrus shouted, sounding excited.

"Tch. I mean, I wouldn't rule it out-"

"Hey! Keep it down, nerds! I'm trying to sleep!" Undyne was still there?

"Boys," Evelynne called softly, and silence met her from the other end. "Look, I'm really, really sorry that we left so quickly," she said, her small smile from the brothers' exchange slipping. "But we're still trying to get home. If we end up back there, maybe we'll stay a little longer, okay?" Evelynne bit her lip, pleading that Papyrus wouldn't question it. He wasn't stupid. She knew he was just a little...eccentric. Child-like, but mature. He knew they were headed to the barrier, and that they were in danger. So she'd bet that he knew that every time they hung up the phone, it may have been their last exchange. "Okay, Papyrus?" She prompted, her voice slightly firmer.

"Okay," he responded, his voice slightly quieter than usual. Evelynne could fear the tears gathering in her eyes. He sounded so...defeated.

"Okay. Okay, we'll talk to you soon, Papyrus. Keep your phone on you. We'll call when we can. And, Sans?"

"Yeah?"

"I just...I wanted to say I'm sorry." Evelynne wanted to cover all her bases, but not give anything away. What if he didn't actually find the key? What if it had just fallen out of her pocket? Why did that make her feel worse? "My...my pockets are empty. If you...I'm..." She forced herself to take a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. "I owe you an explanation. But for now, just know that I am very sorry. Tell Undyne we said goodbye for now. Okay?"

"Good luck, human! I will hold my phone close so that I may not miss your next attempt at communication!" Papyrus sounded normal, enthusiasm back in his tone, and Evelynne smiled, relieved.

"Good. It won't be long, I promise. Bye!" Her farewell was echoed by Papyrus, and Papyrus alone. Evelynne tried not to get too anxious over that fact as she ended the call and slipped the phone into her pocket. Frisk watched her as if waiting for a report of the call, and Evelynne forced a smile on her face. "Sans and Papyrus were just worried. I told you we should have waited until everyone woke up!" Evelynne playfully scolded, giving Frisk a small smile. Frisk shrugged, though she had the decency to look just the slightest bit guilty, shifting her eyes down to the ground and shuffling. Evelynne laughed a little at her actions before reaching out, Frisk's hand immediately joining hers. "Okay. Big creepy building?" With a nod and a huge smile, Frisk pulled Evelynne toward the building.

As soon as they were close, the doors slid open automatically for their passage. Despite the sight of near-complete darkness ahead of them, Frisk continued fearlessly, ever-so-slightly having to pull Evelynne in at the confident pace. The doors slid closed behind them, bathing them in even more darkness, but revealing tiny spots of light. The largest yet faintest light seemed to come from what appeared to be a large screen. Evelynne squinted, trying to see what was on the screen as they approached. The picture was mostly dark, yet, as they got closer, Evelynne could just barely make out the outline of something moving. The closer to the screen they got, the easier it was to see the moving object. Yet, Frisk tried to pull Evelynne past it.

"Wait, Frisk. Hold on." Evelynne pulled her hand out of Frisk's, curiosity gripping her and urging her to walk up to the screen. She listened, moving right up to the large screen. It was the largest screen she'd ever seen in her life, placed on top of a console covered with buttons. From what she could see, none of them looked to be labeled, and she was careful to keep her distance as she stared into the screen. Whatever was on it didn't seem to do much. She could see an outline, standing in front of something slightly lighter...

Oh.

Evelynne threw an arm out, watching the movement on the screen with wide eyes. A shiver wracked through her as she jumped, more movement appearing on the screen. "Frisk, I think...we're being recorded," she whispered to the child. Frisk still stood a few feet away, her outline barely visible in the darkness. Looking down at the console, Evelynne lifted a shaky hand to one of the buttons, pressing it. The screen flashed, the image changing from darkness to shades of green. Everything was so clear that it was as if the darkness didn't affect the video at all. Evelynne took the opportunity to observe as much as she could, but she could only see the screen and a desk to the right in the picture. Evelynne pushed another button, and the screen flashed again. She gasped at the view of Waterfall. It looked like the cave entrance that had taken her to Gerson.

Button after button was pressed, different areas of the Underground revealed to her until, after the sixth button, the screen broke into several feeds. There were cameras all over the Underground in places she had and hadn't been to. All over Waterfall and Snowdin, all the way to the door just outside of the ruins. Evelynne shuddered, looking behind her in the darkness. There it was. A tiny, blinking red light.

"Oh my god," she breathed, pushing back away from the screen. Have they been watched this entire time? Evelynne scanned the feeds, her eyes resting on one that showed the outside of Sans and Papyrus's home. Papyrus was standing on the step just outside, and he seemed to take a deep breath before walking forward, no doubt off to recalibrate his puzzles. "We need to leave," Evelynne said suddenly, using the light of the screen to locate Frisk. She moved quickly over, resting a hand on Frisk's back and gently urging her forward. Frisk didn't seem to need much encouragement, though she chose not to comment on the cameras.

Another minute of walking and the sound of sliding prompted them to stop, though it was again too dark to see. So she froze, hand resting on Frisk's shoulder as she prepared to push the girl out of the way. She tried to control her breathing, heart beating fast. Maybe whoever it was would leave quickly. Soft footsteps sounded in front of her, followed by a click and a burst of light. Evelynne squeezed her eyes shut and hissed, the light blinding and burning for a moment.

"O-oh!"

* * *

Oh hey look we're finally in Hotland, right? Okay but actually I don't know what pace I'll take through Hotland. But get ready for some Mettaton.

OKAY! **Here is your important message:::**

I've been writing up sequel plots for a little while, and I found that I could go in many different directions. I would like the input of my readers! I'm posting a poll on my tumblr for you all to take. It'll remain open for a WHILE. Probably until the final chapter. I'll post reminders periodically, but I would really love for all of you to go take the poll and tell me what kind of sequel you would like to see. This may help me decide how this story will end.

SO!

 **Head over to my Tumblr: ke-hlf-music . tumblr . com**

 **Click the top (it's literally the top) of the post that says "Have Your Say: What kind of sequel do you want to read?"**

 **The link will open, and then you can answer!**

 **If you have any issues, feel free to send me an ask or pm for a direct link! Fanfiction, as most of you know, blocks links. Otherwise I would do that. haha.**

Okay! Now...

SHOUT-OUTS!

 **Angel of Randomosity, PizzaLover6262, UrieNanashi, DragonsCrescent13, DannyPhantom619, Happyritas,** and **Zombina**!

You guys make me so happy, you have no idea how much I love reading your comments! Love you all!

 _Want a shout-out too? Drop a review! :D_

I Love You All (ILYA), and I'll See You All Next Update (SYANU)! (There are no stupid questions! ^.^)


	29. VIP

**AN:** Holy hell in a hand basket.

I am so busy, guys. Like...I can't even. I've never been so bogged down in my life.

But things are going well, at least!

I'm two weeks away from the halfway point! And, boy, I can't wait until all this hectic crap is over. But, I'm truckin' along.

Now, I know this chapter is late. It's very late. My beta is also super busy. So we're figuring it out as we go. But. Well. Anyway.

Enjoy this chapter! Don't forget to let me know what you thought!

* * *

Evelynne forced her eyes open, her vision blurring as they attempted to adjust to the bright white light. In front of her stood a short yellow lizard monster in a white coat, hands on her head as she stared at the humans in what appeared to be panic.

"Oh. My god." The voice was feminine and nasally, if not a bit mousy. Her small eyes seemed to move around the room frantically behind her round glasses, looking at everything but the humans. She brought her hands down and wrung them together anxiously. "I-I didn't expect you to show up so soon!" she began, completely taking Evelynne by surprise. Was this monster afraid of them? "I haven't showered, I'm barely dressed, it's all messy, and...and..." Evelynne took a step back as the monster fought herself for deep breaths.

Maybe she was unstable. Maybe she'd turn on them at any moment and attack them, or say something creepy, or threaten them. Maybe she was a mad scientist or doctor, here to do experiments on them. Evelynne discreetly pushed Frisk behind her, watching the lizard monster carefully as she seemed to calm down, looking back up at the humans sheepishly.

"Ummm...H-h-hiya!" Was she trembling? Her tone was shaky.

"Hello," Evelynne responded carefully, not removing her suspicious gaze. Regardless of her intense stare, the monster heaved a sigh and relaxed ever so slightly, her shoulders dropping.

"I-I'm Dr. Alphys," she started, and Evelynne stiffened. She'd heard that name before, hadn't she? Where? "I'm Asgore's Royal Scientist!" Evelynne's face scrunched up in response to the sudden shock of confusion and uncertainty, and Alphys immediately brought her hands up passively, eyes wide as she stumbled over her words. "B-b-but, ahhh, I'm not one of the bad guys!" she quickly clarified. "Actually, since you stepped out of the ruins, I've, umm," she paused, pulling in on herself and looking sheepish, "I've been observing your journey. Through my console!" She gestured to the giant screen, and Evelynne didn't even turn to look. "Your fights, your friendships...everything! I-I was o-originally going to stop you! B-b-but watching someone on a screen really makes you root for them..." she giggled nervously, her face taking on a deep red hue. At her admission, Evelynne relaxed, if only slightly. They could always use more friends. "S-so, ahhh, now I want to help you!" Evelynne let out a breath she was unaware of holding, her shoulders slumping as she relaxed. She allowed Frisk to walk out from behind her, and the child grabbed her hand with a reassuring smile and a nod.

Evelynne wanted to point out how creepy it felt to know she'd been watched this whole time. She wanted to find out if Alphys was really on their side, or if this was a clever trick to catch them in a trap. Instead, she decided to trust Frisk's judgment.

"Okay, so do you have a plan?" Evelynne asked, ignoring the nagging voice in the back of her mind that this was a mistake. Alphys looked thrilled that they were accepting her help, grinning widely.

"Yes! Using my knowledge, I can easily guide you through Hotland! I know a way right to Asgore's castle, no problem!" she said quickly and confidently, and Evelynne sighed deeply.

"Good. I don't know how many more problems I can take..." she said, looking back up to see Alphys looking more and more nervous by the second.

"Ah...well...a-actually...There is just...one tiny issue?" she whispered, barely audible even in the silent lab.

Of course. They should leave right now, go back to Snowdin, wait until everyone forgot about them, and try again in a few weeks.

She was so tired. She was tired of feeling hunted. She was tired of fearing for their lives. She was tired of this white, clean lab that reminded her of the hospital.

"Go on," Evelynne prompted, already accepting that leaving was not the solution. Frisk would not wait in the brothers' house for weeks. She'd more likely continue on her own than turn around now. Alphys was their only hope to move forward.

"A long time ago, I made a robot," she begun, wringing her hands together and averting her gaze. "Originally, I built him to be an entertainment robot. Uh, you know, like a robotic TV star or something. Anyway, recently I decided to make him more useful. You know, just some small practical adjustments. Like, um...anti...anti-human combat features?" Her voice became smaller the more she spoke, a mere squeak by the end. Evelynne's eyes narrowed as she listened. She'd only heard about one robot in the Underground. Papyrus's idol. Mettaton. But that robot seemed relatively harmless on TV, if not a bit dramatic. Perhaps her adjustments failed? God, she hoped they failed.

"So," she started, after a few moments of awkward silence passed. "Did you succeed?"

"...Yes?"

Evelynne groaned, bringing a hand up to rub her temples. Of course, she was right. Of course, they would still be hunted. Of course, they wouldn't get a break.

"Of c-course, when I saw you coming, I immediately decided that I had to remove those features!" Alphys said, but her tone wasn't reassuring. In fact, she sounded slightly hesitant. "Unfortunately, I may have made a...teensy mistake, while doing so? And, um..." She seemed to shrink in on herself, sweating and trembling under the intensity of Evelynne's glare. "Now he's an...unstoppable killing machine with a thirst for human blood?" She laughed meekly.

Evelynne couldn't believe it. It sounded like a script to some bad sci-fi drama. The two scared, lost humans running from the killer robot. When had her life become so strange? Oh, right. It was always strange. Evelynne glanced down at Frisk, the sole purpose of her determination and the source of her will. She had to make sure Frisk made it home. No matter what.

"So what can we do?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest. This robot wouldn't stop them. He couldn't stop them. Papyrus's idol or not, she'd take him down if she had to.

Well, if she even could, anyway.

"W-well, hopefully, you won't run into him! B-but I think I can-" Alphys was cut off mid-sentence by a loud bang that sounded to the left of them. Evelynne yelped, jumping back and once again forcing Frisk behind her. She scanned the empty wall before looking around them. Nothing. Where had that come from? After a few tense seconds, Alphys asked a question that nearly made her laugh. "Uh...did you hear something?"

Evelynne bit down her sarcasm. She wanted so badly to say no, that she did not notice the loudest sound they'd heard in the past two hours. But she didn't. "Yeah. What was that?"

"I-I don't know!" Alphys stuttered, shoulders up to her ears and hands furiously wringing in front of her. Another band sounded louder this time. This time, a large crack appeared down the center of the wall. "Oh no..."

Evelynne felt frozen, her eyes wide and her chest heaving. At any other moment, she may have marveled at the fact that she hadn't coughed in a while. However, right now, her mind raced with the possible connotations behind Alphys saying 'oh, no.'

"Alphys," she began but was immediately cut off by another bang and the wall crumbling, the lights flickering and turning off. Silence and darkness sat stagnantly, and Evelynne grit her teeth as she tightened her grip on Frisk's wrist, slowly pulling back. If they could just get out, maybe those strange guards would help them...

"Oh, yes!"

Suddenly, two lights came on, shining down like spotlights to illuminate something shiny and silver in front of the hole in the wall. Colored dots moved about the room from two disco balls hanging from the ceiling, something she was certain had not been there a moment ago. Evelynne stared with wide eyes and a slack jaw at the robot in front of them, balanced on a single wheel with a microphone in one hand.

Mettaton.

The robot pushed one of the many buttons on his front. Music blared from around them as if they were surrounded by speakers. The robot threw up his free arm dramatically, pulling the microphone in close.

"Welcome, beauties, to today's quiz show!" He pushed another button, and pre-recorded applause sounded.

Yup. Definitely Mettaton. Papyrus would lose his mind. Evelynne chewed her bottom lip. Hopefully, he never found out about this.

"Oh boy! I can already tell it's gonna be a great show!" Mettaton exclaimed, the buttons lighting up to form a happy face. "Everyone give a big hand for our wonderful contestants!" Once again, the prerecorded clapping. Mettaton's microphone arm extended, shoving the device in Evelynne's face even as she scrambled to back away. "Say something, beauties! You're on live TV!"

"L-live?" Evelynne's voice shook with the information. There was no way Papyrus wouldn't see this. She wouldn't be surprised if he was watching right now! She had caught him once or twice watching MTTE early in the morning before leaving for work. Worse, the whole Underground could potentially know who they were, now. After all, if Mettaton knew they were humans, his fanbase would likely know or soon find out. Evelynne took a step back, pushing Frisk with her, in an attempt to hide their identity. Mettaton reached out with the extending arm, looping it behind both humans and pulling them closer than before. Now, they stood in the direct center of the spotlight.

"Yes, of course! All new episodes of MTTE are aired live! All reactions authentic! No editing involved! Now, on to the show!" Mettaton wheeled forward, closer to them. Evelynne tensed, expecting Mettaton to grab her. Instead, the robot threw an arm over her shoulder, once again shoving the microphone in her face. "Never played before, gorgeous?"

"I-I, uh...no?" she answered meekly, scanning the room for Alphys. The lizard monster stood nervously just outside of the spotlight, though she gave an encouraging smile when she locked eyes with her. Evelynne glared in return. Why wasn't she doing anything about this? Who made a robot without some emergency shutdown switch, anyway?

"No problem!" Mettaton boomed. "It's simple! There's only one rule: Answer correctly," the music stopped, the lights on his body flashing quickly, "or you die!" He cackled robotically, and Evelynne glared in response, pushing away from him. Mettaton immediately reached out past her, knocking her over forcefully. She hit the ground painfully, but a yelp from Frisk immediately gained her attention. She turned, eyes squinting against the light. Mettaton had an arm wound around Frisk, holding her up a few feet above the ground.

"Let her go!" Evelynne pushed herself up and rushed forward to tackle Mettaton, but the robot was faster, swinging the other arm around to block her advance and tsk'ing.

"Uh-uh-uhhh. The game hasn't even started!"

"I'll play your game if you don't hurt her," Evelynne ground out, her heart in her throat and her hands balled into fists at her side. Mettaton imitated a sigh.

"You're taking all the fun out of this, darling." Mettaton retracted his arms. Frisk fell to the floor, and Evelynne resisted the urge to run over to her. She didn't want to anger Mettaton. Who knew what he'd do? If what Alphys said was true, they had to be careful around the robot. This was a game. It was a drama. It was a show. They had to play their part. Maybe they'd live if they played well. "Let's start with an easy one!" Mettaton's body began lighting up, drawing Evelynne's attention back from the child whose face showed shock and a little fear. It was about the third time she'd looked like that since entering the Underground. Evelynne hated it now more than ever.

The buttons on Mettaton's body lit to form words in a list. Money, new car, mercy, and more questions. What? "Ready?" Mettaton asked, and Evelynne opened her mouth to say 'no,' but Mettaton didn't give her the time. "Here we go! What's the prize for answering correctly?"

Raising an eyebrow, Evelynne looked down at her options. Did monsters even have cars? She doubted it was money, and further that it was mercy. "More questions," she said, hoping she wouldn't find out what the punishment was for an incorrect answer this early.

"Oh darling, I thought you'd never ask!" he exclaimed, and Evelynne huffed. "Here's your terrific prize!" The lights on the screen started shifting and settling into new words. "What's the king's full name?" Evelynne read through the possible responses, noting that only one of them listed Asgore as part of it. It was obvious that was the correct answer. However, movement from just behind Mettaton caught her attention, and Evelynne found that Alphys was waving her arms with three fingers held up.

The answer she was going to pick was the third answer on the screen. Alphys really was going to help her. Relief rushed through Evelynne as she realized they would be okay.

"Asgore Dreemurr," she said confidently.

"Correct!" he yelled. A button pushed caused confetti to fall from the ceiling. "What a terrific answer! But enough about you. Let's talk about me!"

Three more questions, two of which were in the form of advanced word problems Evelynne recognized from math tutoring. With Alphys's guidance, Evelynne answered each correctly, leaving her to wonder if Alphys created these questions, or if she was really that smart. After all, it took her almost no time at all to calculate the answers. Evelynne couldn't even begin to understand how to solve the train question.

Then again, if Alphys could create an independent magical murder machine, she could probably do math very easily.

"You're so lucky today!" Mettaton's tone, while robotic, was filled with sarcastic enthusiasm. She could imagine that the humans doing well on his game show probably isn't what everyone wanted to see. "Next, let's play a memory game!" Mettaton's screen flashed half of a monster's face, one that Evelynne and Frisk had seen plenty of times in the ruins and Waterfall. "What monster is this?" The image quickly flashed away, and the words appeared. Evelynne didn't even glance over at Alphys, confident in her immediate answer.

"It was a froggit-" Movement caught her attention in her peripheral vision, Frisk shaking her head frantically and Alphys waving her arms.

"Wrong!" Mettaton's voice was accompanied by a very annoying buzzer to signify an incorrect answer. Evelynne looked back at the robot with confusion and slowly escalating horror.

"What? But-"

"Boy, that's embarrassing, huh?" The screen reassembled the half of the froggit face, before zooming out to reveal the froggit face placed on Mettaton. A flood of panic hit Evelynne. Would Mettaton hurt her? Frisk?

"But that's not fai-" Evelynne's protests were interrupted by a sharp zap of electricity, the bolt coming straight from Mettaton's fingers.

Evelynne had never been electrocuted before. She was surprised that it didn't hurt that much. Every muscle in her body tensed, even as she fell down to the ground. Her heart felt like it was trying to beat out of her chest, and a tingling sensation took over her entire body. It was over fairly quickly, and she was left dazed on the ground, staring forward with blurry vision as her body trembled with aftershocks.

"Strike one, darling."

At the sound of Mettaton's voice, Evelynne attempted to push herself up, her arms shaky and weak. A strange pain was beginning to blossom in her chest, and her heart still beat rapidly. Breathing was quickly beginning to hurt.

"Let's see if you can get this one."

Evelynne looked back up at Mettaton, frozen on her hands and knees as she fought the urge to curl up into a ball. Her gaze shifted slowly over to the tear-streaked face of Frisk, terror wrinkling the skin around her eyes.

"Tick-tock. You don't have time to rest!"

"Yeah, yeah," Evelynne spat out, her voice shaky and breathy. She glared as intensely as currently possible at the robot, who seemed entirely unfazed. Now that the threat was real, Evelynne suddenly found herself missing the chase that Undyne gave. At least they had a chance of outrunning the fish monster. She doubted they'd even be able to defend themselves against Mettaton. Evelynne steeled herself, pushing herself up unsteadily onto her feet, swaying in place as she gasped for air. Her chest hurt badly.

She answered that she would smooch a ghost, and Alphys assisted her with another impossible question. Evelynne felt exhausted, silently praying that the show would just end. Maybe Mettaton would make it quick. Maybe he'd take pity on them. She felt exhausted. Her lungs protested against every breath she took. Her body jerked with occasional aftershocks, cold and sharp as they ripped through her. She barely registered that Alphys was in the middle of an outburst, slowly becoming quieter and quieter as Mettaton froze. Evelynne sunk down to her knees, trying to keep focused. She could do it. She could make it through this stupid quiz show.

"Alphys, Alphys, Alphys. You aren't helping our contestant, are you?" Alphys seemed to be panicking, breathing fast and fidgeting. "Oh, you should have told me! I'll ask a question you'll be sure to know the answer to!" Mettaton cleared his non-existent throat. "Who does Dr. Alphys have a crush on?" Names flashed on the screen, and Alphys began gesturing wildly. Evelynne frowned tiredly, looking at the options, unwilling to be shocked again. It was obvious that saying 'the human' or 'don't know' would be wrong, so that left...

Undyne and Asgore.

It came back to her quickly. Undyne had mentioned Alphys during their fight. They knew each other. It could be either answer, but it was obvious that Alphys wasn't going to help with this. Frisk, however...

"U-Undyne?" Evelynne asked, and the music stopped playing.

"See, Alphys, I told you it was obvious."

Alphys was blushing a deep red, trembling and hiding her face in her hands. Only slightly remorseful, Evelynne looked at her with pity. She did just humiliate Alphys on live TV. Was Undyne watching?

"Even the human figured it out. Yes, she scrawls her name in the margins of her notes. She names programming variables after her. She even writes stories of them together, sharing a domestic life. Probability of crush: 101 percent. Margin of error: one percent."

Alphys brought her hands away from her face, blush rapidly receding, though her eyes were shining with unshed tears. Evelynne gave her the most apologetic look she could muster, though a part of her insisted it was the woman's own fault. After all, Evelynne wasn't the one who created the homicidal game show robot.

Mettaton turned to the camera, leaving the humans forgotten as he addressed his audience. Frisk immediately ran to Evelynne's side, but she was already laying on the floor, curling in on herself as she fought to take deep, slow breaths. Just relax. Breathe in, hold, breathe out. It hurt. She was tired.

Would it hurt to sleep some more?

She was out before she could think about it.

* * *

Okay so this and the next chapter were rough to write, so please please please let me know what you thought!

ALSO! **If you haven't taken the poll,** it's still up on my tumblr. Please make sure you take it!

I'll catch up on shout-outs either next chapter or the chapter after! But a huge thank you to everyone still reading and supporting the story!

ILYA! SYANU!


	30. A Cake

**A/N:** Oh. Hello there. I have news.

I graduated.

Finished! Done! Over! Complete! My diploma was shipped TODAY. My teaching certificate is being processed. Guys...

I'm an adult.

But that's only part one of the news. I'm taking these next couple months off. I applied for one job, didn't get it, and have decided that the gods are telling me to BREATHE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS because honestly. I've been working my ass off. So I'm going to take care of myself for the next few months, finish out teaching the ensembles I'm in charge of and wrap up some left over obligations with the college. But other than that, I'm free.

I'm going to focus on my emotional and physical health for a while. I need to establish routines. I already have my morning routine starting. I'm also helping the parents do some renovations. So, it's not like I'll be sitting on my ass for a few months. But it's nothing stressful. I can relax.

It already feels surreal.

That being said, if you saw my tumblr post then you know I, of course, plan to continue writing. I've taken way more time off than acceptable! Also, this is a chapter I forgot to post in December that I'm posting to just get out there. I want to start fresh and new. It's going to be great. I hope.

AS ALWAYS I hope your fall was awesome and your holidays even better. Let me know if a review how you like this chapter, and I'll skip over shout-outs for this week because...ugh. I don't even want to try to organize the ones I've missed.

ILYA, and I'll SYANU!

* * *

"Humans! We saw you on TV! You met Mettaton!"

Evelynne grimaced, troubled by Papyrus's overjoyed tone and the reminder of one of her least pleasant experiences Underground.

The two humans had been traveling through Hotland for approximately an hour, traversing conveyor belts and vents while also desperately praying Alphys's advice about lasers was correct. So far, the timid lizard had been helpful, if not tiring. Her social media updates were disruptive but amusing, though Evelynne eventually handed the phone off to Frisk, who giggled at every update. By the sixth update, Evelynne only felt annoyance. With Hotland's oppressive heat and her ever-present exhaustion, she barely had the energy to walk, let alone constantly pull a phone out to read a meaningless message.

Evelynne was currently leaning against a warm brick wall in one of the two puzzle rooms they'd found and solved, Frisk standing a few feet away. The puzzle ended up being some sort of game not unlike the one's her brother played on his old Ataris system when they were kids. Frisk had let her solve the first one, and she'd let herself smile genuinely for a few minutes before it felt like too much effort. Still, watching Frisk complete the second one felt painfully nostalgic.

"Humans?"

Evelynne shook her head as Frisk looked over her shoulder with concern. How long had she been lost in thought? "Sorry Papyrus. Just thinking. What'd you say?"

"That's okay! I said we saw you on TV with Mettaton! You must tell me all about it!"

With a sigh, Evelynne looked down and began picking at the seam of her jeans. She had been hoping to forget all about that unpleasant encounter. She rubbed her sternum as a phantom pain appeared in her chest, clearing her throat uncomfortably.

"Uh, yeah. Mettaton really wanted us as his...guests," she said, nearly cringing as she spoke. She wanted to tell Papyrus that she was afraid of facing Mettaton again. She wanted to ask him to send Sans to them. She wanted to feel that safety again. Tears sprung to her eyes, but she pushed them down. Not now. She couldn't be a coward anymore.

"Fuhuhu! You're lucky you got most of the answers right!" Undyne's voice came through the phone, leaving Evelynne only momentarily surprised that she was still there. Hadn't she mentioned something about her house being on fire?

Damn it, she still had to talk to Frisk about that...

"Yes, human! You did very well! Although, that shock did look like it hurt..." Papyrus said, and Evelynne was relieved to hear he sounded concerned. He had some sense about the situation, then. She didn't want to be the one to ruin his perception that everything was pure in the world.

"Yeah, it did," she admitted, but tacked on a tiny, unamused laugh for his sake. "Pretty bad. I sorta passed out afterward..."

"Just be careful. That dude gives me bad vibes," Undyne said, and Evelynne raised an eyebrow. Was Undyne really warning them to be cautious? Had she dreamt the past few weeks? Her head was spinning. She wondered how long it would take for her to accept Undyne's new attitude.

"Wh-what? But, he's so popular," Papyrus muttered, completely floored. Evelynne was reminded of her first impression of Papyrus. He seemed to base his entire existence off of wanting to be popular. Hadn't Sans mentioned Papyrus had trouble making friends?

"I don't care about people just because they're popular," Undyne shot back.

"Well, you can say that because you're popular!"

...Did Papyrus think fame was the only way to have real friends? She could see that being the case. Mettaton and Undyne were stars in his eyes. His own brother was popular, at least with the Snowdin population. His role models were all outgoing and adored.

"Psht, what? Popular with who?"

"You're popular with me!"

Evelynne's eyes widened at the realization. Was this Papyrus's genuine personality? Or was he just pretending to be someone he's not? Was that why Sans was always telling him he was cool?

"Aww, Papyrus, you're popular with me, too!"

"Aww, wowie!" Papyrus said softly, his tone genuinely awed. He did have close friends. Did he not realize it? "Wait...does that mean you don't care about me?" he asked, suddenly remembering her earlier proclamation.

"Uhm, not to interrupt," Evelynne said, trying to gently involve herself in the conversation, "but do either of you happen to know anything about the puzzles in Hotland, or have any tips for us?" she asked, her tone hopeful. There was a beat of silence from the other end.

"Er, well human...it seems neither of us knows anything about Hotland..." Papyrus said hesitantly.

"So we'll just have to combine our power!" Undyne shouted, and Evelynne nearly dropped the phone in her surprise. Maybe Papyrus learned to be loud from Undyne...

"Zero plus zero is still zero," Papyrus responded, and Frisk giggled from where she was sitting across the room. Evelynne smiled at her joy. Despite his childlike demeanor, Papyrus has proven time and time again that he could be just as witty and perceptive as his brother.

"Yeah, but it's a big zero!" Undyne laughed loudly.

"Well, big zero or small zero, I don't know that it's very helpful," Evelynne said timidly, hoping that it wouldn't push her luck with the guard captain.

"Hmm. Well, I did ride on a conveyor belt, once!" Undyne chirped, and Evelynne felt the smallest bit of hope.

"What about it?"

"I learned pretty fast that they make me sick!"

"Did you hurl?" Papyrus interjected, and Evelynne had to take a moment if only to process that Papyrus used the word 'hurl'.

"Yeah, like nine thousand times! It was awesome!" Once again, she laughed heartily.

"Stop calling and making her say gross things," Papyrus muttered close to the phone speaker.

"You're the one that asked, Papyrus," Evelynne pointed out, fighting off her smile briefly before rolling her eyes. "I'm really appreciative to you both but...is your brother there? Would he know anything about Hotland?"

"Sans works in Hotland!" Papyrus announced excitedly before his voice dropped slightly. "But...he left after we watched Mettaton's show. He didn't say where he was going. If he wasn't so lazy, I'd guess he went to work, but I know that can't be true! Sans never goes to work without me telling him to! Though, he did seem...off."

"That nerd probably went to Grillby's or something," Undyne added. Evelynne deflated slightly. Of course, that was her luck.

"If he gets home soon, please have him call us," Evelynne asked, reaching an arm out as Frisk moved over to stand at her side. She pulled the child in for a loose side hug, grimacing at the heat and sweat.

"Of course, human! I will tell him the moment he walks through the door!" Papyrus pledged, and she could imagine the determined and heroic stance he'd take on, were she there.

"Thanks, Pap."

"Hey, Undyne," Frisk suddenly called, leaning to get closer to the phone. Evelynne raised a brow at her. Frisk hardly ever spoke to anyone else. At least, as far as she'd seen. "Why'd you call Alphys about the weather?" she teased, grin mischevious, and Evelynne's jaw went slack.

"Frisk!" she hissed, but Undyne responded before she could apologize on Frisk's behalf.

"What? Who cares? Isn't it natural to love meteorology?"

"Sure it is, Undyn-"

"Zoinks! I thought that was just an excuse to talk to her. I didn't know there was weather down here!"

Did...did Papyrus just say 'zoinks'?

"Yeah? There is?" Undyne said, her voice a little higher-pitched than usual. "And I'm forecasting an incoming front of shut up!"

"Undyne, I don't think that's necessary-"

"Wowie! Will I need an umbrella?" Papyrus could not possibly be purer.

"Oh, Papyrus. I can't stay mad at you," Undyne said, and Evelynne sighed in relief, glaring half-heartedly at Frisk. Of course, she still wore that mischievous look, shrugging in response before moving away from her.

"It's okay, I forgive you!" Suddenly, Papyrus's voice got quieter and very close to the speaker. "Psst, when was she mad at me?"

"I'm sure she was just joking, Papyrus," Evelynne said, pushing herself away from the wall and standing. She stretched, her muscles loose and relaxed in the warm environment. "We have to go now, but we'll call back soon, okay?"

"Okay! I shall await your next call eagerly! Goodbye, humans!" Papyrus hung up the phone, and Evelynne stuffed theirs in her pocket with a sigh. She looked over at Frisk waiting by the door, crossing her arms and raising a brow.

"That wasn't very nice, you know," she scolded, even as the corner of her mouth tugged upwards. Frisk didn't even pretend to be sorry, giggling and walking out the door. Sighing, Evelynne rolled her eyes and followed, mumbling to herself.

Despite the slightly lighter atmosphere after talking to Papyrus, Evelynne's thoughts were quickly turning dark as they walked in silence. Occasionally, they'd stumble across lounging monsters, most of which paid them no mind. There were more monsters here than she ever saw in Snowdin and Waterfall. It seemed Hotland was a real hotspot for monsters.

Ha.

While she didn't recognize any of them, there were a few who greeted them with kind smiles, reminding her that most of the monsters Underground were kind. Most of them had no interest in killing them. She wondered if any of them saw Mettaton's show.

After about thirty more minutes of walking, Evelynne could see another vent up ahead, and she immediately groaned, gesturing forward with aggravation. "Please tell me this is the last vent."

Frisk shook with silent laughter, grabbing Evelynne's wrist and pulling her forward.

At least Frisk was getting some enjoyment from this.

Coming up on the vent, Evelynne could see that it wasn't just one vent, but four in a row. Frisk let go of her and gestured forward for her to go first, as always. She was beginning to wonder if Frisk just thought it was hilarious to see her fall. After confirming that this was the only route across, she sighed in defeat and moved forward to stand at the edge of the first vent.

The first few vents they'd come across hadn't left a good impression. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't land on her feet. Frisk would always land perfectly on her feet. Evelynne peered down below the platform, taking in the orange glow of the lava as she felt anxiety rise in her chest. What if she missed?

No, she wouldn't miss. She couldn't miss. She could do this. Taking a deep breath, Evelynne steeled herself and stepped forward. A blast of air shot through the vent, pushing her up and forward into the air. Despite her self-assurance, she let out a short scream and tensed up, pulling her arms into her sides while resisting the urge to pull her legs in. Another blast of air met her as she came toward the next vent, propelling her back into the air just before she hit the ground. Before she knew it, she was propelled toward the tiled floor. She landed in a similar fashion to her earlier attempts; on her butt. She howled in pain, starting and discontinuing swears as the pain bloomed in her tailbone and traveled up her spine. There was no way she wouldn't receive some permanent injury from this. She didn't doubt that she'd at least bruise. As she struggled to push herself up, Frisk landed perfectly behind her, and Evelynne prepared herself for the laughter that normally accompanied her painful landing. Except it didn't happen.

Finally getting to her feet, she pushed the dull pain to the back of her mind as she took in Frisk's strange expression. It was a mix of guilt and a worry. It reminded Evelynne of what Frisk looked like before they were chased by Undyne...

"What's wrong?" she asked, hoping Frisk would finally tell her outright. The area ahead was completely dark and silent, and Evelynne found herself staring into the darkness with apprehension before turning back to the girl. Frisk avoided her gaze, looking down at the ground. "Is...something in there?" Frisk nodded, slouching slightly. Why couldn't she just say it? "Is it Mettaton?" Another nod. Evelynne took a deep breath. "Okay, okay. It's fine. We have to go through, right? We can't' go back." She meant to reassure Frisk, but she ended up mumbling to herself as she looked back into the darkness. There really was no way back. There wasn't a vent on this end. They could only go forward. Frisk reached out and took her hand, squeezing it in support, and Evelynne smiled thinly. "Alright. We'll be fine, right?" Frisk nodded, though her eyes betrayed her doubt. "Okay. Let's get this over with."

Walking into the darkness felt terrible. She felt a strange heaviness in her chest as she awaited an attack, her entire body tense. She was gripping Frisk's hand firmly, ready to pull her away from any coming danger. When the loud sound of the ringtone came from her pocket, she jumped and yelped, immediately planting a hand over her mouth as if she could take it back. Letting go of Frisk's hand, she immediately dug into her pocket for the phone, hoping Sans would be the one calling. Instead, Alphys's name flashed on the screen. Still shaking and trying to calm her breathing, Evelynne answered the call.

"H-hey!"

"Alphys! You nearly scared me to death!" Evelynne hissed, shining the phone light down to make sure Frisk was still beside her. The child winced and brought an arm up to shield her eyes. Evelynne gave her a sympathetic smile before turning the screen away.

"O-oh! Sorry! I-I just noticed it's...kinda dark in there, isn't it?"

Evelynne held the phone out directly in front of them, the bright screen illuminating very little. It was as if the darkness soaked up the light. "Uh, yeah. You don't happen to know where the light switch is, do you?"

"Don't worry! I'll hack into the light system and b-brighten it up!" Alphys said cheerfully, and Evelynne sighed in relief.

"Oh, good. Thank you so-"

The lights flashed on, their intensity overwhelming. Evelynne hissed, throwing her free arm up to cover her eyes as she blinked rapidly. Her blurry vision cleared just enough for her to make out what looked to be a...counter? There was a knife and a spatula set beside a cutting board and sink. Beyond that stood a single camera.

Oh. She knew the tile looked familiar.

"Oh, no..." Alphys's voice came from the phone, and in the silence, it seemed to echo in the room.

"Oh, yes!"

Evelynne jumped at the sound of Mettaton's voice from behind them. The robot seemed to appear from nowhere, donning a chef's hat. He wheeled right up to the counter a few feet away from the humans, his signature theme blaring. Evelynne grabbed at Frisk's shoulder and pushed her away, hiding the child behind her as they took a step backward.

Couldn't they get a break? It had barely been two hours.

"Welcome, beauties, to the Underground's premier cooking show: Cooking with a Killer Robot!" Pre-recorded applause sounded and Evelynne glared. She scanned the room for something - anything - to help them. The most promising object was the knife, though it was now directly in front of the robot. She doubted it'd be much help, anyway. "Pre-heat your ovens, because we've got a very special recipe for you today!" Mettaton extended an arm out without turning toward them, the microphone stopping right in front of Evelynne's face. She flinched, leaning back in anticipation of pain. But none came. "Why don't you tell our wonderful audience what we'll be making today, darling?"

She stared wide-eyed at the robot. "I-I..uhh...What?"

"That's right! A cake!" Mettaton retracted his arm. "My lovely assistants here will assist me! Everyone give them a big hand!" Applause. Evelynne was really starting to get annoyed by this robot. How had she watched his shows so much without hating it? Maybe Sans didn't fall asleep just because he was tired, on show nights. Finally, Mettaton turned toward them. "First, we need to gather the ingredients. We'll need sugar, milk, and eggs. Go for it, sweetheart!"

Evelynne, still slightly stunned by this entire ridiculous event, stared forward with a slack jaw until Frisk pulled on her hand lightly. "O-oh. Uh, oka-"

"No, no, no!" Mettaton's arm shot out once again, blocking Evelynne from moving any farther. "Not you! The small one!" His arm hooked around Evelynne's waist and pulled her right up to him. She cried out in surprise, throwing her arms out in front of her as if she could defend herself. "My, my! You're covered in filth! This won't do. Remember, darling! Hygiene is important in the kitchen!" Mettaton suddenly pulled out two more arms; one holding a feather duster and the other, a rag. He pounced on her, arms moving too fast for her to keep up with. She ducked her head and gasped, preparing to be strangled or crushed. She was pushed and pulled this way and that for what seemed like five seconds before it all stopped, and was left dazed. She looked down at her arms and clothes with confusion. She looked completely clean. She brought a hand up to her hair, her fingers running through cleanly as if her hair had been brushed.

What the hell?

"Great job! Just put them in the middle of this counter!" Mettaton instructed, and Evelynne turned to find Frisk behind her with arms full of ingredients. Confused, Evelynne reached out to help her, removing the milk from the pile and placing it on the counter to assist Frisk. "Perfect! Great job, beautiful! We've got all of the ingredients we need to bake the cake!" Mettaton pulled each ingredient over to him. "Milk...sugar...eggs...Oh, my!" He brought both hands up dramatically, likely to compensate for his inability to make facial expressions. "Wait a magnificent moment! How could I forget? We're missing the most important ingredient!" Mettaton turned toward them, one arm disappearing under the counter. Evelynne shuddered, reaching behind her to push Frisk back as she moved away from him.

"Flour?" she suggested, her voice small. Mettaton finally pulled out an object, revealing a saw that immediately buzzed to life. Evelynne shrieked, moving back quicker than her body would allow and causing her to fall to the floor.

"A human soul!"

Evelynne scrambled backward immediately, Frisk pulling on her arm to help her back to her feet.

"W-wait!"

Mettaton slowly wheeled forward, forcing them to continue moving backward.

"Stop!" Evelynne took another step back but met nothing beneath her foot. She teetered on the edge of the set, immediately letting go of Frisk as she desperately tried to regain balance before falling back with a screech. She found herself hanging from the edge of the set, her hands gripping viciously at the tiles. Frisk was kneeling in front of her, hands gripping at her left wrist as she tried to pull Evelynne back up. Behind her, Mettaton raised his chainsaw. "No! Frisk!" She squeezed her eyes shut, seizing her struggling as she began to slip, her sweat-slicked skin and body weight finally pulling her over the edge.

From across the room, a familiar ringtone was heard.


End file.
